Psalms

¹Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God.
²Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night.
³So they grow strong, like a tree planted by a stream— a tree that produces fruit when it should and has leaves that never fall. Everything they do is successful.
⁴But the wicked are not like that. They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
⁵When the time for judgment comes, the wicked will be found guilty. Sinners have no place among those who do what is right.
⁶The Lord shows his people how to live, but the wicked have lost their way.

¹Why are the nations so angry? Why are the people making such foolish plans?
²Their kings and leaders join together to fight against the Lord and his chosen king.
³They say, “Let’s rebel against them. Let’s break free from them!”
⁴But the one who rules in heaven laughs at them. The Lord makes fun of them.
⁵He speaks to them in anger, and it fills them with fear.
⁶He says, “I have chosen this man to be king, and he will rule on Zion, my holy mountain.”
⁷Let me tell you about the Lord’s agreement: He said to me, “Today I have become your father, and you are my son.
⁸If you ask, I will give you the nations. Everyone on earth will be yours.
⁹You will rule over them with great power. You will scatter your enemies like broken pieces of pottery!”
¹⁰So, kings and rulers, be smart and learn this lesson.
¹¹Serve the Lord with fear and trembling.
¹²Show that you are loyal to his son, or the Lord will be angry and destroy you. He is almost angry enough to do that now, but those who go to him for protection will be blessed.

¹Lord, I have so many enemies. So many people have turned against me.
²They say to themselves, “God will not rescue him!” Selah
³But you, Lord, protect me. You bring me honor; you give me hope.
⁴I will pray to the Lord, and he will answer me from his holy mountain. Selah
⁵I can lie down to rest and know that I will wake up, because the Lord covers and protects me.
⁶So I will not be afraid of my enemies, even if thousands of them surround me.
⁷Lord, get up! My God, come rescue me! If you hit my enemies on the cheek, you will break all their teeth.
⁸Lord, the victory is yours! You are so good to your people. Selah

¹God, you showed that I was innocent. You gave me relief from all my troubles. So listen to me now when I call to you for help. Be kind to me and hear my prayer.
²Men, how long will you try to dishonor me? Do you enjoy wasting your time searching for new lies against me? Selah
³You can be sure that anyone who serves the Lord faithfully is special to him. The Lord listens when I pray to him.
⁴Tremble with fear, and stop sinning. Think about this when you go to bed, and calm down. Selah
⁵Give the right sacrifices to the Lord, and put your trust in him!
⁶Many people say, “I wish I could enjoy the good life. Lord, give us some of those blessings.”
⁷But you have made me happier than they will ever be with all their wine and grain.
⁸When I go to bed, I sleep in peace, because, Lord, you keep me safe.

¹Lord, listen to me and understand what I am trying to say.
²My God and King, listen to my prayer.
³Every morning, Lord, I lay my gifts before you and look to you for help. And every morning you hear my prayers.
⁴God, you don’t want evil people near you. They cannot stay in your presence.
⁵Fools cannot come near you. You hate those who do evil.
⁶You destroy those who tell lies. Lord, you hate those who make secret plans to hurt others.
⁷But by your great mercy, I can enter your house. I can worship in your holy Temple with fear and respect for you.
⁸Lord, show me your right way of living, and make it easy for me to follow. People are looking for my weaknesses, so show me how you want me to live.
⁹My enemies never tell the truth. They only want to destroy people. Their words come from mouths that are like open graves. They use their lying tongues to deceive others.
¹⁰Punish them, God! Let them be caught in their own traps. They have turned against you, so punish them for their many crimes.
¹¹But let those who trust in you be happy forever. Protect and strengthen those who love your name.
¹²Lord, when you bless good people, you surround them with your love, like a large shield that protects them.

¹Lord, don’t punish me. Don’t correct me when you are so angry.
²Lord, be kind to me. I am sick and weak. Heal me, Lord! My bones are shaking.
³I am trembling all over. Lord, how long until you heal me?
⁴Lord, come back and make me strong again. Save me because you are so loyal and kind.
⁵If I am dead, I cannot sing about you. Those in the grave don’t praise you.
⁶Lord, I am so weak. I cried to you all night. My pillow is soaked; my bed is dripping wet from my tears.
⁷My enemies have caused me such sorrow that my eyes are worn out from crying.
⁸Go away, you wicked people, because the Lord has heard my cries.
⁹The Lord has heard my request for mercy. The Lord has accepted my prayer.
¹⁰All my enemies will be filled with fear and shame. They will be sorry when disgrace suddenly comes upon them.

¹Lord my God, I come to you for protection. Save me from those who are chasing me.
²If you don’t help me, I will be torn apart like an animal caught by a lion. I will be carried away with no one to save me.
³Lord my God, I have done nothing wrong.
⁴I have done nothing to hurt a friend or to help his enemies.
⁵If that is not the truth, then punish me. Let an enemy chase me, catch me, and kill me. Let him grind me into the dirt and put me in my grave. Selah
⁶Lord, get up and show your anger! My enemy is angry, so stand and fight against him. Get me the justice that you demand.
⁷Gather the nations around you, and take your place as judge.
⁸Lord, judge the people. Lord, judge me. Prove that I am right and that I am innocent.
⁹Stop those who do evil. Support those who do good. God, you are fair. You know what people are thinking.
¹⁰God helps people who want to do right, so he will protect me.
¹¹God is a good judge. He always condemns evil.
^12-13If the wicked will not change, then God is ready to punish them. He has prepared his deadly weapons. His sword is sharp. His bow is strung, drawn back, and ready to shoot its flaming arrow.
¹⁴The minds of the wicked are full of evil; they are pregnant with wicked plans, which give birth to lies.
¹⁵They dig a pit to trap others, but they are the ones who will fall into it.
¹⁶The trouble they cause will come back on them. They plan harm for others, but they are the ones who will be hurt.
¹⁷I praise the Lord because he is good. I praise the name of the Lord Most High.

¹Lord our Lord, your name is the most wonderful in all the earth! It brings you praise everywhere in heaven.
²From the mouths of children and babies come songs of praise to you. They sing of your power to silence your enemies who were seeking revenge.
³I look at the heavens you made with your hands. I see the moon and the stars you created.
⁴And I wonder, “Why are people so important to you? Why do you even think about them? Why do you care so much about humans ? Why do you even notice them?”
⁵But you made them almost like gods and crowned them with glory and honor.
⁶You put them in charge of everything you made. You put everything under their control.
⁷People rule over the sheep and cattle and all the wild animals.
⁸They rule over the birds in the sky and the fish that swim in the sea.
⁹Lord our Lord, your name is the most wonderful name in all the earth!

¹I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart. I will tell about the wonderful things you have done.
²You make me happy, so I will rejoice in you. God Most High, I praise your name.
³My enemies turned to run from you, but they fell and were destroyed.
⁴You listened to me from your throne like a good judge, and you decided that I was right.
⁵You told the nations how wrong they were. You destroyed those evil people. You erased their names from our memory forever and ever.
⁶The enemy is finished! You destroyed their cities. There is nothing left to remind us of them.
⁷The Lord set up his throne to bring justice, and he will rule forever.
⁸He judges everyone on earth fairly. He judges all nations honestly.
⁹Many people are suffering— crushed by the weight of their troubles. But the Lord is a refuge for them, a safe place they can run to.
¹⁰Lord, those who know your name come to you for protection. And when they come, you do not leave them without help.
¹¹Sing praises to the Lord, who sits as King in Zion. Tell the nations about the great things he has done.
¹²He punishes murderers and remembers those who are in need. When suffering people cry for help, he does not ignore them.
¹³I said this prayer: “Lord, be kind to me. See how my enemies are hurting me. Save me from the ‘gates of death.’
¹⁴Then, at the gates of Jerusalem, I can sing praises to you. I will be so happy because you saved me.”
¹⁵Those other nations have fallen into the pit they dug to catch others. They have been caught in their own trap.
¹⁶The Lord showed that he judges fairly. The wicked were caught by what they did to hurt others. Higgayon Selah
¹⁷The wicked will go to the place of death, as will all the nations that forget God.
¹⁸It may seem that those who are poor and needy have been forgotten, but God will not forget them. He will not leave them without hope.
¹⁹Lord, get up and judge the nations. Don’t let anyone think they can win against you.
²⁰Teach them a lesson, Lord. Let them know they are only human. Selah

¹Lord, why do you stay so far away? Why do you hide from people in times of trouble?
²The wicked are proud and make evil plans to hurt the poor, who are caught in their traps and made to suffer.
³Those greedy people brag about the things they want to get. They curse the Lord and show that they hate him.
⁴The wicked are too proud to ask God for help. He does not fit into their plans.
⁵They succeed in everything they do. They don’t understand how you can judge them. They make fun of all their enemies.
⁶They say to themselves, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us. We will have our fun and never be punished.”
⁷They are always cursing, lying, and planning evil things to do.
⁸They hide just outside the villages, waiting to kill innocent people, always looking for any helpless person they can hurt.
⁹They are like lions hiding in the bushes to catch weak and helpless animals. They lay their traps for the poor, who are caught in their nets.
¹⁰Again and again they hurt people who are already weak and suffering.
¹¹They say to themselves, “God has forgotten about us. He is not watching. He will never see what we are doing.”
¹²Lord, get up and do something. Punish those who are wicked, God. Don’t forget those who are poor and helpless.
¹³The wicked turn against God because they think he will not punish them.
¹⁴But, Lord, you do see the pain and suffering they cause. You see it, so punish them. Those who were left helpless put their trust in you. After all, you are the one who cares for orphans.
¹⁵Break the arms of those who are wicked and evil. Punish them for the evil they have done, and stop them from doing any more.
¹⁶Lord, you are King forever and ever, so I know you will remove the wicked nations from your land.
¹⁷Lord, you have heard what the poor want. Listen to their prayers, and do what they ask.
¹⁸Protect the orphans and those who have been hurt. Don’t let powerful people drive us from our land!

¹I trust in the Lord, so why did you tell me to run and hide? Why did you say, “Fly like a bird to your mountain?”
²Like hunters, the wicked hide in the dark. They get their bows ready and aim their arrows. They shoot at good, honest people.
³What would good people do if the wicked destroyed all that is good?
⁴The Lord is in his holy temple. The Lord sits on his throne in heaven. He sees everything that happens. He watches people closely.
⁵The Lord examines those who are good and those who are wicked; he hates those who enjoy hurting others.
⁶He will make hot coals and burning sulfur fall like rain on the wicked. They will get nothing but a hot, burning wind.
⁷The Lord always does what is right, and he loves seeing people do right. Those who live good lives will be with him.

¹Save me, Lord! We can no longer trust anyone! All the good, loyal people are gone.
²People lie to their neighbors. They say whatever they think people want to hear.
³The Lord should cut off their lying lips and cut out their bragging tongues.
⁴Those people think they can win any argument. They say, “We are so good with words, no one will be our master.”
⁵They took advantage of the poor and stole what little they had. But the Lord knows what they did, and he says, “I will rescue those who are poor and helpless, and I will punish those who hurt them.”
⁶The Lord’s words are true and pure, like silver purified by fire, like silver melted seven times to make it perfectly pure.
⁷Lord, take care of the helpless. Protect them forever from the wicked people in this world.
⁸The wicked are all around us, and everyone thinks evil is something to be praised!

¹How long will you forget me, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you refuse to accept me?
²How long must I wonder if you have forgotten me? How long must I feel this sadness in my heart? How long will my enemy win against me?
³Lord my God, look at me and give me an answer. Make me feel strong again, or I will die.
⁴If that happens, my enemy will say, “I beat him!” He will be so happy that he won.
⁵But I trust in your faithful love, Lord. I will be happy when you save me.
⁶Then I will sing to the Lord because he was so good to me.

¹Only fools think there is no God. People like that are evil and do terrible things. They never do what is right.
²The Lord looks down from heaven to see if there is anyone who is wise, anyone who looks to him for help.
³But everyone has gone the wrong way. Everyone has turned bad. No one does anything good. No, not one person!
⁴Those who are evil treat my people like bread to be eaten. And they never ask for the Lord’s help. Don’t they know what they are doing?
⁵They will have plenty to fear, because God is with those who do what is right.
⁶You wicked people want to spoil the hopes of the poor, but the Lord will protect them.
⁷I wish the one who lives on Mount Zion would bring victory to Israel! When the Lord makes his people successful again, the people of Jacob will be happy; the people of Israel will be glad.

¹Lord, who can live in your Holy Tent ? Who can live on your holy mountain?
²Only those who live pure lives, do what is right, and speak the truth from their hearts.
³Such people don’t say bad things about others. They don’t do things to hurt their neighbors. They don’t tell shameful things about those close to them.
⁴They hate those who fail to please God and honor those who respect the Lord. If they make a promise to their neighbor, they do what they promised.
⁵If they loan money to someone, they do not charge them interest. And they refuse to testify against an innocent person, even if someone offers them money to do it. Whoever lives like this will always stand strong.

¹Protect me, God, because I depend on you.
²Some of you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord. Every good thing I have comes from you.”
³But you have also said about the gods of this land, “They are my powerful gods. They are the ones who make me happy.”
⁴But those who worship other gods will have many troubles. I will not share in the gifts of blood they offer to their idols. I will not even say their names.
⁵Lord, you give me all that I need. You support me. You give me my share.
⁶My share is wonderful. My inheritance is very beautiful.
⁷I praise the Lord because he taught me well. Even at night he put his instructions deep inside my mind.
⁸I always remember that the Lord is with me. He is here, close by my side, so nothing can defeat me.
⁹So my heart and soul will be very happy. Even my body will live in safety,
¹⁰because you will not leave me in the place of death. You will not let your faithful one rot in the grave.
¹¹You will teach me the right way to live. Just being with you will bring complete happiness. Being at your right side will make me happy forever.

¹Lord, hear my prayer for justice. I am calling loudly to you. I am being honest in what I say, so please listen to my prayer.
²You will make the right decision, because you can see the truth.
³You were with me all night and looked deep into my heart. You questioned me and found that I did not say or do anything wrong.
⁴Unlike most people, I have obeyed your commands, so I have never been like those who are cruel and evil.
⁵I have followed your way. My feet never left your path.
⁶Every time I call to you, God, you answer me. So listen to me now, and hear what I say.
⁷Show your amazing kindness and rescue those who depend on you. Use your great power and protect them from their enemies.
⁸Protect me like the pupil of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
⁹Save me from the wicked people who are trying to destroy me. Protect me from those who come to hurt me.
¹⁰They think only of themselves and brag about what they will do.
¹¹They have been following me, and now they are all around me. They watch me, waiting to throw me to the ground.
¹²Like hungry lions, they want to kill and eat. Like young lions, they hide, ready to attack.
¹³Lord, get up and face the enemy. Make them surrender. Use your sword and save me from these wicked people.
¹⁴Use your power, Lord, and remove them from this life. But as for the people you treasure, fill them with food. Give them plenty for their children and their grandchildren.
¹⁵I have done only what is right, so I will see your face. And seeing you, I will be fully satisfied.

¹I love you, Lord! You are my strength.
²The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, my place of safety. He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection. He is my shield; by his power I am saved. He is my hiding place high in the hills.
³I called to the Lord for help, and he saved me from my enemies! He is worthy of my praise!
⁴Death had its ropes wrapped around me. A deadly flood was carrying me away.
⁵The ropes of the grave wrapped around me. Death set its trap right there in front of me.
⁶In my trouble I called to the Lord. Yes, I cried out to my God for help. There in his temple he heard my voice. He heard my cry for help.
⁷The earth shook and shivered. The foundations of the mountains trembled. They shook because he was angry.
⁸Smoke came from his nose. Burning flames came from his mouth. Red-hot coals fell from him.
⁹He tore open the sky and came down! He stood on a thick, dark cloud.
¹⁰He flew across the sky, riding on a Cherub angel racing on the wings of the wind.
¹¹He wrapped himself in darkness that covered him like a tent. He was hidden by dark clouds heavy with water.
¹²Out of the brightness before him, hail broke through the clouds with flashes of lightning.
¹³The Lord thundered from the sky; God Most High let his voice be heard.
¹⁴He scattered his enemies with his arrows— the lightning bolts that threw them into confusion.
¹⁵Lord, you shouted your command, and a powerful wind began to blow. Then the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the earth’s foundations were uncovered.
¹⁶He reached down from above and grabbed me. He pulled me from the deep water.
¹⁷He saved me from my powerful enemies, who hated me. They were too strong for me, so he saved me.
¹⁸They attacked me in my time of trouble, but the Lord was there to support me.
¹⁹He was pleased with me, so he rescued me. He took me to a safe place.
²⁰The Lord rewarded me for doing what is right. He was good to me because I am innocent.
²¹The Lord did this because I have obeyed him. I have not turned against my God.
²²I always remembered his laws. I never rejected his rules.
²³He knows I did nothing that was wrong. I have kept myself from sinning.
²⁴So the Lord rewarded me for doing what is right. He could see that I am innocent.
²⁵Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful. You are good to those who are good.
²⁶You never do wrong to those who have done no wrong. But you outsmart the wicked, no matter how clever they are.
²⁷You help those who are humble, but you humiliate the proud.
²⁸Lord, you provide the flame for my lamp. You, God, turn the darkness around me into light.
²⁹With your help I can defeat an army. If my God is with me, I can climb over enemy walls.
³⁰God’s way is perfect. The Lord’s promise always proves to be true. He protects those who trust in him.
³¹There is no God except the Lord. There is no Rock except our God.
³²God is the one who gives me strength. He clears the path I need to take.
³³He makes my feet as steady as those of a deer. Even on steep mountains he keeps me from falling.
³⁴He trains me for war so that my arms can bend the most powerful bow.
³⁵Lord, you have given me your shield to protect me. You support me with your right hand. It is your help that has made me great.
³⁶You cleared a path for my feet so that I could walk without stumbling.
³⁷I chased my enemies and caught them. I did not stop until they were destroyed.
³⁸I struck them down, and they could not get up again. They fell under my feet.
³⁹God, you made me strong in battle. You made my enemies fall before me.
⁴⁰You made my enemies turn and run away. I destroyed those who hated me.
⁴¹They cried out for help, but there was no one to save them. They cried out to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
⁴²I beat them to pieces like dust blown by the wind. I smashed them like mud in the streets.
⁴³You saved me from those who fought against me. You made me the ruler over nations. People I never knew now serve me.
⁴⁴As soon as they heard about me, they were ready to obey. Those foreigners fall helpless before me!
⁴⁵They lose all their courage and come out of their hiding places shaking with fear.
⁴⁶The Lord lives! I praise my Rock, the God who saves me. How great he is!
⁴⁷He is the God who punishes my enemies for me, the one who puts people under my control.
⁴⁸You, Lord, help me defeat those who attack me. You save me from cruel people.
⁴⁹Lord, that is why I praise you among the nations. That is why I sing songs of praise to your name.
⁵⁰The Lord helps his king win battle after battle. He shows his faithful love to his chosen one, to David and his descendants forever.

¹The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies announce what his hands have made.
²Each new day tells more of the story, and each night reveals more and more about God’s power.
³You cannot hear them say anything. They don’t make any sound we can hear.
⁴The sun’s tent is set up in the heavens.
⁵It comes out like a happy bridegroom from his bedroom. It begins its path across the sky like an athlete eager to run a race.
⁶It starts at one end of the sky and runs all the way to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat.
⁷The Lord’s teachings are perfect. They give strength to his people. The Lord’s rules can be trusted. They help even the foolish become wise.
⁸The Lord’s laws are right. They make people happy. The Lord’s commands are good. They show people the right way to live.
⁹Learning respect for the Lord is good. It will last forever. The Lord’s judgments are right. They are completely fair.
¹⁰His teachings are worth more than pure gold. They are sweeter than the best honey dripping from the honeycomb.
¹¹His teachings warn his servants, and good things come to those who obey them.
¹²People cannot see their own mistakes, so don’t let me commit secret sins.
¹³Don’t let me do what I know is wrong. Don’t let sin control me. If you help me, I can be pure and free from sin.
¹⁴May my words and thoughts please you. Lord, you are my Rock—the one who rescues me.

¹May the Lord answer you in times of trouble. May the God of Jacob protect you.
²May he send you help from his Holy Place. May he support you from Zion.
³May he remember all the gifts you have offered. May he accept all your sacrifices. Selah
⁴May he give you what you really want. May he make all your plans successful.
⁵We will celebrate when he helps you. We will praise the name of God. May the Lord give you everything you ask for.
⁶Now I know the Lord helps his chosen king. From his holy heaven he answered. With his great power he saved him.
⁷Some give the credit for victory to their chariots and soldiers, but we honor the Lord our God.
⁸They fall in battle, totally defeated, but we survive and stand strong!
⁹Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call to you for help.

¹Lord, your strength makes the king happy. He is so happy when you give him victory.
²And you gave him what he wanted. You gave him what he asked for. Selah
³You gave the king such wonderful blessings. You put a golden crown on his head.
⁴He asked for life, and you gave it. You gave him life that goes on forever.
⁵You led him to victory that brought him great glory. You gave him honor and fame.
⁶You have given him blessings that will last forever. You have given him the joy of being near you.
⁷The king trusts in the Lord, and the faithful love of God Most High will keep him from falling.
⁸Lord, you will show all your enemies that you are strong. Your power will defeat those who hate you.
⁹When you appear, you will burn them up like a blazing furnace. In your anger, Lord, you will completely destroy them; they will be swallowed by flames of fire.
¹⁰Their families will be destroyed. They will be removed from the earth.
¹¹That is because they made evil plans against you. They wanted to do things they could not do.
¹²You will make them turn and run away when you aim your arrows at their faces.
¹³Lord, we lift you up with our songs of praise. We sing and play songs about your power!

¹My God, my God, why have you left me? You seem too far away to save me, too far to hear my cries for help!
²My God, I kept calling by day, and I was not silent at night. But you did not answer me.
³God, you are the Holy One. You sit as King upon the praises of Israel.
⁴Our ancestors trusted you. Yes, they trusted you, and you saved them.
⁵They called to you for help and escaped their enemies. They trusted you and were not disappointed!
⁶But I feel like a worm, less than human! People insult me and look down on me.
⁷Everyone who sees me makes fun of me. They shake their heads and stick out their tongues at me.
⁸They say, “Call to the Lord for help. Maybe he will save you. If he likes you so much, surely he will rescue you!”
⁹God, the truth is, you are the one who brought me into this world. You made me feel safe while I was still at my mother’s breasts.
¹⁰You have been my God since the day I was born. I was thrown into your arms as I came from my mother’s womb.
¹¹So don’t leave me! Trouble is near, and there is no one to help me.
¹²My enemies surround me like angry bulls. They are like the powerful bulls of Bashan, and they are all around me.
¹³Their mouths are opened wide, like a lion roaring and tearing at its prey.
¹⁴My strength is gone, like water poured out on the ground. My bones have separated. My courage is gone.
¹⁵My mouth is as dry as a piece of baked pottery. My tongue is sticking to the roof of my mouth. You have left me dying in the dust.
¹⁶The “dogs” are all around me— a pack of evil people has trapped me. They have pierced my hands and feet.
¹⁷I can see each one of my bones. My enemies are looking at me; they just keep staring.
¹⁸They divide my clothes among themselves, and they throw lots for what I am wearing.
¹⁹Lord, don’t leave me! You are my strength—hurry and help me!
²⁰Save me from the sword. Save my precious life from these dogs.
²¹Rescue me from the lion’s mouth. Protect me from the horns of the bulls.
²²I will tell my people about you. I will praise you in the great assembly.
²³Praise the Lord, all you who worship him! Honor him, you descendants of Jacob! Fear and respect him, all you people of Israel!
²⁴He does not ignore those who need help. He does not hate them. He does not turn away from them. He listens when they cry for help.
²⁵Lord, because of you I offer praise in the great assembly. In front of all these worshipers I will do all that I promised.
²⁶Poor people, come eat and be satisfied. You who have come looking for the Lord, praise him! May your hearts be happy forever.
²⁷May those in faraway countries remember the Lord and come back to him. May those in distant lands worship him,
²⁸because the Lord is the King. He rules all nations.
²⁹The people have eaten all they wanted and bowed down to worship him. Yes, everyone will bow down to him— all who are on the way to the grave, unable to hold on to life.
³⁰Our descendants will serve him. Those who are not yet born will be told about him.
³¹Each generation will tell their children about the good things the Lord has done.

¹The Lord is my shepherd. I will always have everything I need.
²He gives me green pastures to lie in. He leads me by calm pools of water.
³He restores my strength. He leads me on right paths to show that he is good.
⁴Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave, I will not be afraid of any danger, because you are with me. Your rod and staff comfort me.
⁵You prepared a meal for me in front of my enemies. You welcomed me as an honored guest. My cup is full and spilling over.
⁶Your goodness and mercy will be with me all my life, and I will live in the Lord’s house a long, long time.

¹The earth and everything on it belong to the Lord. The world and all its people belong to him.
²He built the earth on the water. He built it over the rivers.
³Who can go up on the Lord’s mountain ? Who can stand in his holy Temple?
⁴Only those who have not done evil, who have pure hearts, who have not used my name to hide their lies, and who have not made false promises.
⁵Good people ask the Lord to bless others. They ask God, their Savior, to do good things.
⁶They try to follow God. They go to the God of Jacob for help. Selah
⁷Gates, proudly lift your heads! Open, ancient doors, and the glorious King will come in.
⁸Who is the glorious King? He is the Lord, the powerful soldier. He is the Lord, the war hero.
⁹Gates, proudly lift your heads! Open, ancient doors, and the glorious King will come in.
¹⁰Who is the glorious King? The Lord All-Powerful is the glorious King. Selah

¹Lord, I put my life in your hands.
²I trust in you, my God, and I will not be disappointed. My enemies will not laugh at me.
³No one who trusts in you will be disappointed. But disappointment will come to those who try to deceive others. They will get nothing.
⁴Lord, help me learn your ways. Show me how you want me to live.
⁵Guide me and teach me your truths. You are my God, my Savior. You are the one I have been waiting for.
⁶Remember to be kind to me, Lord. Show me the tender love that you have always had.
⁷Don’t remember the sinful things I did when I was young. Because you are good, Lord, remember me with your faithful love.
⁸The Lord is good and does what is right. He shows sinners the right way to live.
⁹He teaches his ways to humble people. He leads them with fairness.
¹⁰The Lord is kind and true to those who obey what he said in his agreement.
¹¹Lord, I have done many wrong things. But I ask you to forgive them all to show your goodness.
¹²When people choose to follow the Lord, he shows them the best way to live.
¹³They will enjoy good things, and their children will get the land God promised.
¹⁴The Lord tells his secrets to his followers. He teaches them about his agreement.
¹⁵I always look to the Lord for help. Only he can free me from my troubles.
¹⁶I am hurt and lonely. Turn to me, and show me mercy.
¹⁷Free me from my troubles. Help me solve my problems.
¹⁸Look at my trials and troubles. Forgive me for all the sins I have done.
¹⁹Look at all the enemies I have. They hate me and want to hurt me.
²⁰Protect me! Save me from them! I come to you for protection, so don’t let me be disappointed.
²¹You are good and do what is right. I trust you to protect me.
²²God, save the people of Israel from all their enemies.

¹Lord, you be the judge and prove that I have lived a pure life. I have depended on you, Lord, to keep me from falling.
²Look closely at me, Lord, and test me. Judge my deepest thoughts and emotions.
³I always remember your faithful love. I depend on your faithfulness.
⁴I don’t run around with troublemakers. I have nothing to do with hypocrites.
⁵I hate being around evil people. I refuse to join those gangs of crooks.
⁶Lord, I wash my hands to make myself pure, so that I can come to your altar.
⁷I sing a song to give you thanks, and I tell about all the wonderful things you have done.
⁸Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory is.
⁹Lord, don’t treat me like one of those sinners. Don’t kill me with those murderers.
¹⁰They are guilty of cheating people. They take bribes to do wrong.
¹¹But I am innocent, so be kind to me and save me.
¹²I am safe from all danger as I stand here praising you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

¹Lord, you are my Light and my Savior, so why should I be afraid of anyone? The Lord is where my life is safe, so I will be afraid of no one!
²Evil people might attack me. They might try to destroy my body. Yes, my enemies might attack me and try to destroy me, but they will stumble and fall.
³Even if an army surrounds me, I will not be afraid. Even if people attack me in war, I will trust in the Lord.
⁴I ask only one thing from the Lord. This is what I want most: Let me live in the Lord’s house all my life, enjoying the Lord’s beauty and spending time in his palace.
⁵He will protect me when I am in danger. He will hide me in his tent. He will take me up to his place of safety.
⁶If he will help me defeat the enemies around me, I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and play songs to honor the Lord.
⁷Lord, hear my voice. Be kind and answer me.
⁸My heart told me to come to you, Lord, so I am coming to ask for your help.
⁹Don’t turn away from me. Don’t be angry with your servant. You are the only one who can help me. My God, don’t leave me all alone. You are my Savior.
¹⁰Even if my mother and father leave me, the Lord will take me in.
¹¹I have enemies, Lord, so teach me your ways. Show me the right way to live.
¹²My enemies have attacked me. They have told lies about me and have tried to hurt me.
¹³But I really believe that I will see the Lord’s goodness before I die.
¹⁴Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help.

¹Lord, you are my Rock. I am calling to you for help. Don’t close your ears to my prayers. If you don’t answer me, I will be counted among the dead.
²I lift my hands and pray toward your Most Holy Place. Hear me when I call to you. Show mercy to me.
³Don’t treat me like the evil people who do wicked things. They greet their neighbors like friends, but secretly plan to hurt them.
⁴They do bad things to others, so make bad things happen to them. Give them the punishment they deserve.
⁵They don’t notice what the Lord does. They ignore all the good things he has made. So instead of building them up, he will destroy them.
⁶Praise the Lord! He has heard my prayer for mercy.
⁷The Lord is my strength and shield. I trusted him with all my heart. He helped me, so I am happy. I sing songs of praise to him.
⁸The Lord protects his chosen one. He saves him and gives him strength.
⁹Save your people. Bless those who belong to you. Lead them and honor them forever.

¹Praise the Lord, you heavenly angels ! Praise the Lord’s glory and power.
²Praise the Lord and honor his name! Worship the Lord in all his holy beauty.
³The Lord’s voice can be heard over the sea. The voice of our glorious Lord God is like thunder over the great ocean.
⁴The Lord’s voice is powerful. It shows the Lord’s glory.
⁵The Lord’s voice shatters great cedar trees. The Lord breaks the great cedars of Lebanon.
⁶He makes Lebanon shake like a young calf dancing. Sirion trembles like a young bull jumping up and down.
⁷The Lord’s voice cuts the air with flashes of lightning.
⁸The Lord’s voice shakes the desert. The desert of Kadesh trembles at the Lord’s voice.
⁹The Lord’s voice frightens the deer. He destroys the forests. In his temple everyone shouts, “Glory to God!”
¹⁰The Lord ruled as king at the time of the flood, and the Lord will rule as king forever.
¹¹May the Lord make his people strong. May the Lord bless his people with peace.

¹Lord, you lifted me out of my troubles. You did not give my enemies a reason to laugh, so I will praise you.
²Lord my God, I prayed to you, and you healed me.
³Lord, you lifted me out of the grave. I was falling into the place of death, but you saved my life.
⁴Praise the Lord, you who are loyal to him! Praise his holy name !
⁵His anger lasts for a little while, but then his kindness brings life. The night may be filled with tears, but in the morning we can sing for joy!
⁶When I was safe and secure, I thought nothing could hurt me.
⁷Yes, Lord, while you were kind to me, I felt that nothing could defeat me. But when you turned away from me, I was filled with fear.
⁸So, Lord, I turned and prayed to you. I asked you, Lord, to show me mercy.
⁹I said, “What good is it if I die and go down to the grave? The dead just lie in the dirt. They cannot praise you. They cannot tell anyone how faithful you are.
¹⁰Lord, hear my prayer, and be kind to me. Lord, help me!”
¹¹You have changed my sorrow into dancing. You have taken away my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.
¹²You wanted me to praise you and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever!

¹Lord, I come to you for protection. Don’t let me be disappointed. You always do what is right, so save me.
²Listen to me. Come quickly and save me. Be my Rock, my place of safety. Be my fortress and protect me!
³Yes, you are my Rock and my protection. For the good of your name, lead me and guide me.
⁴Save me from the traps my enemy has set. You are my place of safety.
⁵Lord, you are the God we can trust. I put my life in your hands. Save me!
⁶I hate those who worship false gods. I trust only in the Lord.
⁷Your kindness makes me so happy. You have seen my suffering. You know about the troubles I have.
⁸You will not let my enemies take me. You will free me from their traps.
⁹Lord, I have many troubles, so be kind to me. I have cried until my eyes hurt. My throat and stomach are aching.
¹⁰Because of my sin, my life is ending in grief; my years are passing away in sighs of pain. My life is ending in weakness. My strength is draining away.
¹¹My enemies despise me, and even my neighbors have turned away. When my friends see me in the street, they turn the other way. They are afraid to be around me.
¹²People want to forget me like someone already dead, thrown away like a broken dish.
¹³I hear them whispering about me. They have turned against me and plan to kill me.
¹⁴Lord, I trust in you. You are my God.
¹⁵My life is in your hands. Save me from those who are persecuting me.
¹⁶Please welcome and accept your servant. Be kind to me and save me.
¹⁷Lord, I am praying to you. Don’t let me be disappointed. The wicked are the ones who should be disappointed. Let them go to the grave in silence.
¹⁸Those evil people brag and tell lies about those who do right. They are so proud now, but their lying lips will be silent.
¹⁹Lord, you have hidden away many wonderful things for your followers. You have done so many good things for those who trust in you. You have blessed them so that all the world can see.
²⁰Others make plans to hurt them. They say such bad things about them. But you hide your people in your shelter and protect them.
²¹Praise the Lord, because he showed me how wonderful his faithful love is when the city was surrounded by enemies.
²²I was afraid and said, “I am in a place where he cannot see me.” But I prayed to you, and you heard my loud cries for help.
²³Love the Lord, all of you who are his loyal followers. The Lord protects those who are loyal to him. But he punishes those who brag about their own power. He gives them all the punishment they deserve.
²⁴Be strong and brave, all of you who are waiting for the Lord’s help.

¹It is a great blessing when people are forgiven for the wrongs they have done, when their sins are erased.
²It is a great blessing when the Lord says they are not guilty, when they don’t try to hide their sins.
³Lord, I prayed to you again and again, but I did not talk about my sins. So I only became weaker and more miserable.
⁴Every day you made life harder for me. I became like a dry land in the hot summertime. Selah
⁵But then I decided to confess my sins to the Lord. I stopped hiding my guilt and told you about my sins. And you forgave them all! Selah
⁶That is why your loyal followers pray to you while there is still time. Then when trouble rises like a flood, it will not reach them.
⁷You are a hiding place for me. You protect me from my troubles. You surround me and protect me, so I sing about the way you saved me. Selah
⁸The Lord says, “I will teach you and guide you in the way you should live. I will watch over you and be your guide.
⁹Don’t be like a stupid horse or mule that will not come to you unless you put a bit in its mouth and pull it with reins.”
¹⁰Many pains will come to the wicked, but the Lord’s faithful love will surround those who trust in him.
¹¹Good people, rejoice and be very happy in the Lord. All you who want to do right, rejoice!

¹Rejoice in the Lord, good people! It is only right for good people to praise him.
²Play the lyre and praise the Lord. Play the ten-stringed harp for him.
³Sing a new song to him. Play it well and sing it loud!
⁴The Lord’s word is true, and he is faithful in everything he does.
⁵He loves goodness and justice. The Lord’s faithful love fills the earth.
⁶The Lord spoke the command, and the world was made. The breath from his mouth created everything in the heavens.
⁷He gathered together the water of the sea. He put the ocean in its place.
⁸Everyone on earth should fear and respect the Lord. All the people in the world should fear him,
⁹because when he speaks, things happen. And if he says, “Stop!”—then it stops.
¹⁰The Lord can ruin every decision the nations make. He can spoil all their plans.
¹¹But the Lord’s decisions are good forever. His plans are good for generation after generation.
¹²Great blessings belong to those who have the Lord as their God! He chose them to be his own special people.
¹³The Lord looked down from heaven and saw all the people.
¹⁴From his high throne he looked down at all the people living on earth.
¹⁵He created every person’s mind, and he knows what each one is doing.
¹⁶A king is not saved by the power of his army. A soldier does not survive by his own great strength.
¹⁷Horses don’t really bring victory in war. Their strength cannot help you escape.
¹⁸The Lord watches over his followers, those who wait for him to show his faithful love.
¹⁹He saves them from death. He gives them strength when they are hungry.
²⁰So we will wait for the Lord. He helps us and protects us.
²¹He makes us happy. We trust his holy name.
²²Lord, we worship you, so show your great love for us.

¹I will praise the Lord at all times. I will never stop singing his praises.
²Humble people, listen and be happy, while I brag about the Lord.
³Praise the Lord with me. Let us honor his name.
⁴I went to the Lord for help, and he listened. He saved me from all that I fear.
⁵If you look to him for help, he will put a smile on your face. You will have no need to be ashamed.
⁶As a poor, helpless man I prayed to the Lord, and he heard me. He saved me from all my troubles.
⁷The Lord’s angel builds a camp around his followers, and he protects them.
⁸Give the Lord a chance to show you how good he is. Great blessings belong to those who depend on him!
⁹The Lord’s holy people should fear and respect him. Those who respect him will always have what they need.
¹⁰Even strong lions get weak and hungry, but those who go to the Lord for help will have every good thing.
¹¹Children, come and listen to me; I will teach you to respect the Lord.
¹²Do you want to enjoy life? Do you want to have many happy days?
¹³Then avoid saying anything hurtful, and never let a lie come out of your mouth.
¹⁴Stop doing anything evil, and do good. Look for peace, and do all you can to help people live peacefully.
¹⁵The Lord watches over those who do what is right, and he hears their prayers.
¹⁶But the Lord is against those who do evil, so they are forgotten soon after they die.
¹⁷Pray to the Lord, and he will hear you. He will save you from all your troubles.
¹⁸The Lord is close to those who have suffered disappointment. He saves those who are discouraged.
¹⁹Good people might have many problems, but the Lord will take them all away.
²⁰He will protect them completely. Not one of their bones will be broken.
²¹But troubles will kill the wicked. The enemies of those who live right will all be punished.
²²The Lord saves his servants. All who go to him for protection will escape punishment.

¹Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight me.
²Pick up your shields, large and small. Get up and help me!
³Take a spear and javelin and fight those who are chasing me. Tell me, “I will rescue you.”
⁴Some people are trying to kill me. Disappoint them and make them ashamed. Make them turn and run away. They are planning to hurt me. Defeat and embarrass them.
⁵Make them like chaff blown by the wind. Let them be chased by the Lord’s angel.
⁶Make their road dark and slippery. Let the Lord’s angel chase them.
⁷I did nothing wrong, but they tried to trap me. For no reason at all, they dug a pit to catch me.
⁸So let them fall into their own traps. Let them stumble into their own nets. Let some unknown danger catch them.
⁹Then I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be happy when he saves me.
¹⁰With my whole self I will say, “Lord, there is no one like you. You protect the poor from those who are stronger. You save the poor and helpless from those who try to rob them.”
¹¹There are witnesses trying to harm me. They ask me questions that I know nothing about.
¹²They pay me back evil for the good I have done. They make me so very sad.
¹³When they were sick, I was sad and wore sackcloth. I went without eating to show my sorrow. (May my prayers for them not be answered!)
¹⁴I mourned for them as I would for a friend or a brother. I bowed low with sadness, crying as I would for my own mother.
¹⁵But when I had troubles, they laughed at me. They were not really friends. I was surrounded and attacked by people I didn’t even know.
¹⁶They made fun of me, using the worst language. They ground their teeth to show their anger.
¹⁷My Lord, how long will you watch this happen? Save my life from these people who are attacking me like lions and trying to destroy me.
¹⁸I will praise you in the great assembly. I will praise you there among the crowds.
¹⁹Don’t let my lying enemies keep on laughing at me. They have no reason to hate me. Surely they will be punished for their secret plans.
²⁰They have no friendly words for others, but plan ways to hurt those who want to live in peace.
²¹They are telling lies about me. They say, “Aha! We know what you did!”
²²Lord, surely you can see what is happening. So don’t keep quiet. Lord, don’t leave me.
²³Wake up! Get up! My God and my Lord, fight for me, and bring me justice.
²⁴Lord my God, judge me with your fairness. Don’t let those people laugh at me.
²⁵Don’t let them think, “Aha! We got what we wanted!” Don’t let them say, “We destroyed him!”
²⁶Let my enemies be ashamed and embarrassed— all those who were happy about my troubles. Proud of themselves, they treated me as worthless. So let them be covered with shame and disgrace.
²⁷To those who want the best for me, I wish them joy and happiness. May they always say, “Praise the Lord, who wants what is best for his servant.”
²⁸So, Lord, I will tell people how good you are. I will praise you all day long.

¹Deep in the hearts of the wicked a voice tells them to do wrong. They have no respect for God.
²They lie to themselves. They don’t see their own faults, so they are not sorry for what they do.
³Their words are wicked lies. They have stopped doing anything wise or good.
⁴They make wicked plans in bed at night. They choose a way of life that does no good. And they never say no to anything evil.
⁵Lord, your faithful love reaches to the sky. Your faithfulness is as high as the clouds.
⁶Your goodness is higher than the highest mountains. Your fairness is deeper than the deepest ocean. Lord, you protect people and animals.
⁷Nothing is more precious than your loving kindness. All people can find protection close to you.
⁸They get strength from all the good things in your house. You let them drink from your wonderful river.
⁹The fountain of life flows from you. Your light lets us see light.
¹⁰Continue to love those who really know you, and do good to those who are true to you.
¹¹Don’t let proud people trap me. Don’t let the wicked force me to run away.
¹²Put this on their grave markers: “Here fell the wicked. They were crushed. They will never stand up again.”

¹Don’t get upset about evil people. Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.
²They are like grass and other green plants that dry up quickly and then die.
³So trust in the Lord and do good. Live on your land and be dependable.
⁴Enjoy serving the Lord, and he will give you whatever you ask for.
⁵Depend on the Lord. Trust in him, and he will help you.
⁶He will make it as clear as day that you are right. Everyone will see that you are being fair.
⁷Trust in the Lord and wait quietly for his help. Don’t be angry when people make evil plans and succeed.
⁸Don’t become so angry and upset that you, too, want to do evil.
⁹The wicked will be destroyed, but those who call to the Lord for help will get the land he promised.
¹⁰In a short time there will be no more evil people. You can look for them all you want, but they will be gone.
¹¹Humble people will get the land God promised, and they will enjoy peace.
¹²The wicked plan bad things for those who are good. They show their teeth in anger at them.
¹³But our Lord will laugh at them. He will make sure they get what they deserve.
¹⁴The wicked draw their swords to kill the poor and the helpless. They aim their arrows to murder all who live right.
¹⁵But their bows will break, and their swords will pierce their own hearts.
¹⁶A few good people are better than a large crowd of those who are evil.
¹⁷The wicked will be destroyed, but the Lord cares for those who are good.
¹⁸The Lord protects pure people all their life. Their reward will continue forever.
¹⁹When trouble comes, good people will not be destroyed. When times of hunger come, good people will have plenty to eat.
²⁰But evil people are the Lord’s enemies, and they will be destroyed. Their valleys will dry up and burn. They will be destroyed completely.
²¹The wicked borrow money and never pay it back. But good people are kind and generous.
²²Everyone the Lord blesses will get the land he promised. Everyone he curses will be destroyed.
²³The Lord shows us how we should live, and he is pleased when he sees people living that way.
²⁴If they stumble, they will not fall, because the Lord reaches out to steady them.
²⁵I was young, and now I am old, but I have never seen good people left with no one to help them; I have never seen their children begging for food.
²⁶They are kind and generous, and their children are a blessing.
²⁷Stop doing anything evil and do good, and you will always have a place to live.
²⁸The Lord loves what is right, and he will never leave his followers without help. He will always protect them, but he will destroy the families of the wicked.
²⁹Good people will get the land God promised and will live on it forever.
³⁰Those who do what is right give good advice. Their decisions are always fair.
³¹They have learned God’s teachings, and they will never stop living right.
³²The wicked are always looking for ways to kill good people.
³³But the Lord will not let the wicked defeat them. He will not let good people be judged guilty.
³⁴Do what the Lord says, and wait for his help. He will reward you and give you the land he promised. You will see the wicked being forced to leave.
³⁵I once saw a wicked man who was powerful. He was like a strong, healthy tree.
³⁶But then he was gone. I looked for him, but I could not find him.
³⁷Be pure and honest. Peace loving people will have many descendants.
³⁸But those who break the law will be destroyed completely. And their descendants will be forced to leave the land.
³⁹The Lord saves those who are good. When they have troubles, he is their strength.
⁴⁰The Lord helps good people and rescues them. They depend on him, so he rescues them from the wicked.

¹Lord, don’t criticize me when you are angry. Don’t discipline me in anger.
²You have hurt me. You punished me and hurt me deeply.
³You punished me severely, so my whole body is sore. I sinned, and now all my bones hurt.
⁴My guilt is like a heavy burden. I am sinking beneath its weight.
⁵I did a foolish thing, and now I have infected sores that stink.
⁶I am bent and bowed down. I am depressed all day long.
⁷I am burning with fever, and my whole body hurts.
⁸I hurt so much I cannot feel anything. My pounding heart makes me scream!
⁹My Lord, you heard my groaning. You can hear my sighs.
¹⁰My heart is pounding. My strength is gone, and I am going blind.
¹¹Because of my sickness, my friends and neighbors will not visit me; my family will not come near me.
¹²My enemies say bad things about me. They are spreading lies and rumors. They talk about me all the time.
¹³But I am like a deaf man and cannot hear. I am like someone who cannot speak.
¹⁴I am like those who cannot hear what people are saying about them. I cannot answer to prove my enemies wrong.
¹⁵Lord, you must defend me. Lord my God, you must speak for me.
¹⁶That’s why I prayed, “Don’t let my enemies smile at my pain. Full of pride, they will laugh if I stumble and fall.”
¹⁷I know I am guilty of doing wrong. I cannot forget my pain.
¹⁸Lord, I told you about the evil I have done. I am sorry for my sin.
¹⁹But my enemies are alive and healthy, and they have told many lies.
²⁰I did nothing but good, and they paid me back with evil. I try to do what is right, but that only makes them turn against me.
²¹Lord, don’t leave me. My God, stay close to me.
²²Come quickly and help me. My Lord, you are the one who saves me.

¹I said, “I will be careful about what I say. I will not let my tongue cause me to sin. I will keep my mouth closed when I am around wicked people.”
²So I didn’t say anything. I didn’t even say anything good, but I became even more upset.
³I was very angry, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became. So I said something.
⁴Lord, tell me, what will happen to me now? Tell me, how long will I live? Let me know how short my life really is.
⁵You gave me only a short life. Compared to you, my whole life is nothing. The life of every human is like a cloud that quickly disappears. Selah
⁶Our life is like an image in a mirror. We rush through life collecting things, but we don’t know who will get them after we die.
⁷So, Lord, what hope do I have? You are my hope!
⁸Save me from the bad things I did. Don’t let me be treated like a fool.
⁹I will not open my mouth. I will not say anything. You did what should have been done.
¹⁰But please stop punishing me. You will destroy me if you do not stop.
¹¹You punish people for doing wrong to teach them the right way to live. As a moth destroys cloth, you destroy what people love. Yes, our lives are like a small cloud that quickly disappears. Selah
¹²Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to the words I cry to you. Look at my tears. I am only a traveler passing through this life with you. Like all my ancestors, I will live here only a short time.
¹³Leave me alone and let me be happy before I am dead and gone.

¹I called to the Lord, and he heard me. He heard my cries.
²He lifted me out of the grave. He lifted me from that muddy place. He picked me up, put me on solid ground, and kept my feet from slipping.
³He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see what he did and worship him. They will put their trust in the Lord.
⁴Great blessings belong to those who trust in the Lord, for those who do not turn to demons and false gods for help.
⁵Lord my God, you have done many amazing things! You have made great plans for us—too many to list. I could talk on and on about them, because there are too many to count.
⁶Lord, you made me understand this: You don’t really want sacrifices and grain offerings. You don’t want burnt offerings and sin offerings.
⁷So I said, “Here I am, ready to do what was written about me in the book.
⁸My God, I am happy to do whatever you want. I never stop thinking about your teachings.”
⁹I told the good news of victory to the people in the great assembly. And, Lord, you know that I will never stop telling that good news.
¹⁰I told about the good things you did. I did not hide these things in my heart. I spoke of how you can be trusted to save us. I did not hide your love and loyalty from those in the great assembly.
¹¹Lord, do not hide your mercy from me. Let your love and loyalty always protect me.
¹²Troubles have surrounded me. They are too many to count! My sins have caught me, and I cannot escape them. They are more than the hairs on my head. I have lost my courage.
¹³Please, Lord, rescue me! Lord, hurry and help me!
¹⁴People are trying to kill me. Please disappoint them. Humiliate them completely! They wanted to hurt me. Make them run away in shame!
¹⁵May those who make fun of me be too embarrassed to speak!
¹⁶But may those who come to you be happy and rejoice. May those who love being saved by you always be able to say, “Praise the Lord!”
¹⁷My Lord, I am only a poor, helpless man, but please pay attention to me. You are my helper, the one who can save me. My God, don’t be too late.

¹Those who help the poor succeed will get many blessings. When trouble comes, the Lord will save them.
²The Lord will protect them and save their lives. He will bless them in this land. He will not let their enemies harm them.
³When they are sick in bed, the Lord will give them strength and make them well!
⁴I say, “Lord, be kind to me. I sinned against you, but forgive me and make me well.”
⁵My enemies say bad things about me. They ask, “When will he die and be forgotten?”
⁶If they come to see me, they don’t say what they are really thinking. They come to gather a little gossip and then go to spread their rumors.
⁷Those who hate me whisper about me. They think the worst about me.
⁸They say, “He did something wrong. That is why he is sick. He will never get well.”
⁹My best friend, the one I trusted, the one who ate with me—even he has turned against me.
¹⁰Lord, please be kind to me. Let me get up, and I will pay them back.
¹¹Don’t let my enemy defeat me. Then I will know that you care for me.
¹²I was innocent and you supported me. You let me stand and serve you forever.
¹³Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He always was, and he always will be. Amen and Amen!

¹Like a deer drinking from a stream, I reach out to you, my God.
²My soul thirsts for the living God. When can I go to meet with him?
³Instead of food, I have only tears day and night, as my enemies laugh at me and say, “Where is your God?”
⁴My heart breaks as I remember the pleasant times in the past, when I walked with the crowds as I led them up to God’s Temple. I remember the happy songs of praise as they celebrated the festival.
^5-6Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help! You will again be able to praise him, your God, the one who will save you.” In my sadness I say, “I will remember you from here on this small hill, where Mount Hermon and the Jordan River meet.”
⁷I hear the roar of the water coming from deep within the earth. It shouts to the water below as it tumbles down the waterfall. God, your waves come one after another, crashing all around and over me.
⁸By day the Lord shows his faithful love, and at night I have a song for him—a prayer for the God of my life.
⁹I say to God, my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I suffer this sadness that my enemies have brought me?”
¹⁰Their constant insults are killing me. They never stop asking, “Where is your God?”
¹¹Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help! You will again be able to praise him, your God, the one who will save you.”

¹Defend me, God. Argue my case against those people who don’t know you. Protect me from those evil liars.
²God, you are my place of safety. Why have you turned me away? Why must I suffer this sadness that my enemies have brought me?
³Send your light and your truth to guide me, to lead me to your holy mountain, to your home.
⁴I want to go to God’s altar, to the God who makes me so very happy. God, my God, I want to play my harp and sing praises to you!
⁵Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help! You will again have a chance to praise him, your God, the one who will save you.”

¹God, we have heard about you. Our fathers told us what you did in their lifetime. They told us what you did long ago.
²With your great power you took this land from other people, and you gave it to us. You crushed those foreigners and forced them to leave this land.
³It was not our fathers’ swords that took the land. It was not their strong arms that brought them victory. It was your power. It was because you accepted them and smiled down on them.
⁴God, you are my king. Give the command and lead Jacob’s people to victory.
⁵We need your help to push our enemies back. Only in your name can we trample those who attacked us.
⁶I don’t put my trust in my bow. My sword cannot save me.
⁷You are the one who saved us from our enemies. You are the one who put our enemies to shame.
⁸We have praised you all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Selah
⁹But you left us and put us to shame. You did not go with us into battle.
¹⁰You let our enemies push us back. You let them take our wealth.
¹¹You gave us away like sheep to be killed and eaten. You scattered us among the nations.
¹²You sold your people for nothing. You did not even argue over the price.
¹³You made us a joke to our neighbors. They laugh and make fun of us.
¹⁴You made us one of the stories that people love to tell. People all over the world laugh at us and shake their heads.
¹⁵All I can think about is my shame. Just look at my face, and you will see it.
¹⁶All I can hear are the jokes and insults of my enemies, as I watch them take their revenge.
¹⁷We have not forgotten you. But you do all those things to us. We did not break the agreement you gave us.
¹⁸We did not turn away from you. We did not stop following you.
¹⁹But you crushed us in this home of jackals. You left us in this place as dark as death.
²⁰Did we forget the name of our God? Did we pray to foreign gods?
²¹If we did, then God knows it, because he knows our deepest secrets.
²²All day long we died for you. We are like sheep being led away to be killed.
²³Lord, wake up! Why are you sleeping? Get up! Don’t ignore us forever!
²⁴Why are you hiding from us? Have you forgotten our pain and troubles?
²⁵We have been pushed down into the dirt. We are lying face down in the dust.
²⁶Get up and help us! Rescue us because of your faithful love.

¹Beautiful thoughts fill my mind as I speak these lines for the king. These words come from my tongue as from the pen of a skilled writer.
²You are more handsome than anyone, and you say such pleasant things. So God will always bless you.
³Put on your sword, mighty warrior, so impressive in your splendid uniform.
⁴Go out in your greatness to win the victory for what is true and right. Let us see the amazing things you can do with your powerful right arm.
⁵Your sharp arrows will go deep into the hearts of your enemies, who will fall to the ground in front of you.
⁶God, your kingdom will last forever. You use your authority for justice.
⁷You love what is right and hate what is wrong. So God, your God, chose you to be king, giving you more joy and honor than anyone like you.
⁸From your clothes comes the wonderful smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia. In palaces decorated with ivory, you enjoy the music of stringed instruments.
⁹Here are ladies of honor, daughters of kings. Your bride stands at your right side, wearing a gown decorated with the finest gold.
¹⁰My lady, listen to me. Listen carefully and understand me. Forget your people and your father’s family,
¹¹so that the king will be pleased with your beauty. He will be your new husband, so you must honor him.
¹²People from Tyre will bring you gifts. Their richest people will try to win your friendship.
¹³The princess is so beautiful in her gown, like a pearl set in gold.
¹⁴Clothed in beauty, she is led to the king, followed by her bridesmaids.
¹⁵Filled with joy and excitement, they enter into the king’s palace.
¹⁶Your sons will be kings like their ancestors. You will make them rulers throughout the land.
¹⁷You will be famous for generations. People will praise you forever and ever.

¹God is our protection and source of strength. He is always ready to help us in times of trouble.
²So we are not afraid when the earth quakes and the mountains fall into the sea.
³We are not afraid when the seas become rough and dark and the mountains tremble. Selah
⁴There is a river whose streams bring happiness to God’s city, to the holy city of God Most High.
⁵God is in that city, so it will never be destroyed. He is there to help even before sunrise.
⁶Nations will shake with fear and kingdoms will fall when God shouts and makes the earth move.
⁷The Lord All-Powerful is with us. The God of Jacob is our place of safety. Selah
⁸Look at the powerful things the Lord has done. See the awesome things he has done on earth.
⁹He stops wars all over the world. He breaks the soldiers’ bows, shatters their spears, and burns their shields.
¹⁰God says, “Stop fighting and know that I am God! I am the one who defeats the nations; I am the one who controls the world.”
¹¹The Lord All-Powerful is with us. The God of Jacob is our place of safety. Selah

¹Everyone, clap your hands. Shout with joy to God!
²The Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King over all the earth.
³He helped us defeat other nations. He put those people under our control.
⁴He chose our land for us. He chose that wonderful land for Jacob, the one he loved. Selah
⁵The Lord God goes up to his throne at the sound of the trumpet and horn.
⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
⁷God is the King of the whole world. Sing songs of praise!
⁸God sits on his holy throne; he rules all the nations.
⁹The leaders of the nations have come together with the people of the God of Abraham. All the rulers of the world belong to God. He is over them all!

¹The Lord is great! He is praised throughout the city of our God, his holy mountain.
²His city is such a pleasant place. It brings joy to people from around the world. Mount Zion is the true mountain of God. It is the city of the great King.
³In the palaces of that city, God is known as the fortress.
⁴Once some kings met together and planned an attack against this city. They marched toward the city,
⁵but when they saw it, they were amazed. They all panicked and ran away.
⁶Fear grabbed them; they trembled like a woman giving birth.
⁷God, with a strong east wind, you wrecked their big ships.
⁸Yes, we heard the stories about your power. But we also saw it in the city of our God, the city of the Lord All-Powerful. God makes that city strong forever. Selah
⁹God, in your Temple we remember your loving kindness.
¹⁰Your name is known everywhere, God, and people throughout the earth praise you. You have shown that you do what is right.
¹¹Mount Zion is happy, and the towns of Judah rejoice, because your decisions are fair.
¹²Walk around Jerusalem, and count its towers.
¹³Look at the tall walls, and see the palaces. Then you can tell the next generation about them.
¹⁴This God is our God forever and ever. He will lead us from now to the end of time!

¹Listen to this, all you nations. Pay attention, all you people on earth.
²Everyone, rich and poor, listen to me.
³I have some very wise words for you. My thoughts will give you understanding.
⁴I listened to these sayings. And now, with my harp, I will sing and make the hidden meaning clear.
⁵Why should I be afraid when trouble comes? There is no need to fear when evil enemies surround me.
⁶They think their wealth will protect them. They brag about how rich they are.
⁷But no one has enough to buy back a life, and you cannot bribe God.
⁸You will never get enough money to pay for your own life.
⁹You will never have enough to buy the right to live forever and keep your body out of the grave.
¹⁰Look, the wise die the same as fools and stupid people. They die and leave their wealth to others.
¹¹The grave will be their new home forever. And how much land they owned will not make any difference.
¹²People might be wealthy, but they cannot stay here forever. They will die like the animals.
¹³That is what happens to all who trust in themselves and to anyone who accepts their way of life. Selah
¹⁴They are just like sheep, but the grave will be their pen. Death will be their shepherd. When morning comes, the good people will enjoy victory, as the bodies of the proud slowly rot in the grave, far away from their fancy houses.
¹⁵But God will pay the price to save me from the grave. He will take me to be with him. Selah
¹⁶Don’t be afraid of people just because they are rich. Don’t be afraid of people just because they have big, fancy houses.
¹⁷They will not take anything with them when they die. They will not take their wealth with them.
¹⁸A wealthy man might tell himself how well he has done in life. And other people might praise him.
¹⁹But the time will come for him to die and go to his ancestors. And he will never again see the light of day.
²⁰Wealthy people don’t seem to understand that they will die like the animals.

¹The Lord God Most Powerful has spoken. He calls to everyone on earth, from where the sun rises to where it sets.
²God appeared from Zion, the city of perfect beauty.
³Our God is coming and will not keep quiet. Fire burns in front of him. There is a great storm around him.
⁴He tells the sky and the earth to be witnesses as he judges his people.
⁵He says, “My followers, gather around me. Come, my worshipers, who made an agreement with me.”
⁶God is the judge, and the skies tell how fair he is. Selah
⁷God says, “My people, listen to me! People of Israel, I will show my evidence against you. I am God, your God.
⁸The problem I have with you is not your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you bring to me everyday.
⁹Why would I want more bulls from your barns or goats from your pens?
¹⁰I already own all the animals in the forest. I own all the animals on a thousand hills.
¹¹I know every bird in the mountains. Everything that moves in the fields is mine.
¹²If I were hungry, I would not ask you for food. I already own the world and everything in it.
¹³I don’t eat the meat of bulls or drink the blood of goats.”
¹⁴You made promises to God Most High, so give him what you promised. Bring your sacrifices and thank offerings.
¹⁵God says, “Call me when trouble comes. I will help you, and you will honor me.”
¹⁶But God says to the wicked, “Stop quoting my laws! Stop talking about my agreement!
¹⁷You hate for me to tell you what to do. You ignore what I say.
¹⁸You see a thief and run to join him. You jump into bed with those who commit adultery.
¹⁹You say evil things and tell lies.
²⁰You sit around talking about people, finding fault with your own brothers.
²¹When you did these things, I said nothing. So you thought that I was just like you. But I will not be quiet any longer. I will correct you and make clear what I have against you.
²²You people who have forgotten God, understand what I am telling you, or I will tear you apart, and no one will be able to save you!
²³Whoever gives a thank offering shows me honor. And whoever decides to live right will see my power to save.”

¹God, be merciful to me because of your faithful love. Because of your great compassion, erase all the wrongs I have done.
²Scrub away my guilt. Wash me clean from my sin.
³I know I have done wrong. I remember that sin all the time.
⁴I did what you said is wrong. You are the one I have sinned against. I say this so that people will know that I am wrong and you are right. What you decided is fair.
⁵I was born to do wrong, a sinner before I left my mother’s womb.
⁶You want me to be completely loyal, so put true wisdom deep inside of me.
⁷Remove my sin and make me pure. Wash me until I am whiter than snow!
⁸Let me hear sounds of joy and happiness again. Let the bones you crushed be happy again.
⁹Don’t look at my sins. Erase them all.
¹⁰God, create a pure heart in me, and make my spirit strong again.
¹¹Don’t push me away or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Your help made me so happy. Give me that joy again. Make my spirit strong and ready to obey you.
¹³I will teach the guilty how you want them to live, and the sinners will come back to you.
¹⁴God, spare me from the punishment of death. My God, you are the one who saves me! Let me sing about all the good things you do for me!
¹⁵My Lord, I will open my mouth and sing your praises!
¹⁶You don’t really want sacrifices, or I would give them to you.
¹⁷The sacrifice that God wants is a humble spirit. God, you will not turn away someone who comes with a humble heart and is willing to obey you.
¹⁸God, please be good to Zion. Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹Then you can enjoy the kind of sacrifices you want. You will receive whole burnt offerings, and people will again offer bulls on your altar.

¹Great warrior, why are you bragging about the evil you did? You are a disgrace to God.
²You are nothing but a hired killer, making plans to hurt people and making up lies!
³You love evil more than goodness. You love lies more than truth. Selah
⁴You and your lying tongue love to hurt people.
⁵So God will ruin you forever! He will grab you and pull you from your home, like someone pulling up a plant by the roots! Selah
⁶Good people will see this and learn to fear and respect God. They will laugh at you and say,
⁷“Look what happened to the warrior who did not depend on God. That fool thought his wealth and lies would protect him.”
⁸But I am like a green olive tree growing in God’s Temple. I will trust God’s faithful love forever and ever.
⁹God, I praise you forever for what you have done. I will speak your name before your followers because it is so good!

¹Only fools think there is no God. People like that are evil and do terrible things. They never do what is right.
²God looks down from heaven to see if there is anyone who is wise, anyone who looks to him for help.
³But everyone has turned away from him. Everyone has become evil. No one does anything good. No, not one person!
⁴Those who are evil treat my people like bread to be eaten. And they never ask for God’s help. Don’t they understand what they are doing?
⁵They will be filled with fear— a fear like they have never felt before! People of Israel, you will defeat those who attacked you, because God has rejected them. And he will scatter their bones.
⁶I wish the one who lives on Mount Zion would bring victory to Israel! When God makes Israel successful again, the people of Jacob will be very happy; the people of Israel will be glad.

¹God, use your power and save me. Use your great power to set me free.
²God, listen to my prayer. Listen to what I say.
³Strangers who don’t even think about God have turned against me. Those powerful men are trying to kill me. Selah
⁴Look, my God will help me. My Lord will support me.
⁵He will punish the people who turned against me. God, be faithful to me and destroy them.
⁶Lord, I will give freewill offerings to you. I will praise your good name.
⁷You saved me from all my troubles. I saw my enemies defeated.

¹God, hear my prayer. Don’t ignore my cry for help.
²Please listen and answer me. Let me speak to you and tell you what upsets me.
³My enemies shout at me and threaten me. In their anger they attack me. They bring troubles crashing down on me.
⁴My heart is pounding inside me. I am afraid to die.
⁵I am trembling with fear. I am terrified!
⁶Oh, I wish I had wings like a dove. I would fly away and find a place to rest.
⁷I would go far into the desert and stay there. Selah
⁸I would run away. I would escape from this storm of trouble.
⁹My Lord, confuse their words and stop their plans. I see so much cruelty and fighting in this city.
¹⁰Day and night, in every neighborhood, the city is filled with evil and trouble.
¹¹There is so much crime in the streets. People who hurt and cheat others are everywhere.
¹²If it were an enemy insulting me, I could bear it. If it were my enemies attacking me, I could hide.
¹³But it is you, the one so close to me, my companion, my good friend, who does this.
¹⁴We used to share our secrets with one another, as we walked through the crowds together in God’s Temple.
¹⁵I wish death would take my enemies by surprise! I wish the earth would open up and swallow them alive, because they plan such terrible things together.
¹⁶I will call to God for help, and the Lord will save me.
¹⁷I speak to God morning, noon, and night. I tell him what upsets me, and he listens to me!
¹⁸I have fought in many battles, but he has always rescued me and brought me back safely.
¹⁹But they will never change. They don’t fear and respect God.
²⁰This one who was once my friend now attacks his friends. He is breaking every promise he made.
²¹His words about peace are as smooth as butter, but he has only war on his mind. His words are as slick as oil, but they cut like a knife.
²²Give your worries to the Lord, and he will care for you. He will never let those who are good be defeated.
²³But, God, you will send those liars and murderers to the grave. They will die before their life is half finished! As for me, I will put my trust in you.

¹God, people have attacked me, so be merciful to me. They have been chasing me all day, closing in to attack me.
²My enemies come at me constantly. There are too many fighters to count.
³When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
⁴I trust God, so I am not afraid of what people can do to me! I praise God for his promise to me.
⁵My enemies are always twisting my words. They are always making plans against me.
⁶They hide together and watch every move I make, hoping for some way to kill me.
⁷God, send them away because of the bad things they did. Show your anger and defeat those people.
⁸You know I am very upset. You know how much I have cried. Surely you have kept an account of all my tears.
⁹I know that when l call for help, my enemies will turn and run. I know that because God is with me!
¹⁰I praise God for his promise. I praise the Lord for his promise to me.
¹¹I trust God, so I am not afraid of what people can do to me!
¹²God, I will keep the special promises I made to you. I will give you my thank offering.
¹³You saved me from death. You kept me from being defeated. So I will serve you in the light that only the living can see.

¹God, be merciful to me. Be kind because my soul trusts in you. I have come to you for protection, while the trouble passes.
²I pray to God Most High for help, and he takes care of me completely!
³From heaven he helps me and saves me. He will punish the one who attacks me. Selah God will remain loyal to me and send his love to protect me.
⁴My life is in danger. My enemies are all around me. They are like man-eating lions, with teeth like spears or arrows and tongues like sharp swords.
⁵God, rise above the heavens! Let all the world see your glory.
⁶My enemies set a trap for my feet to bring me down. They dug a deep pit to catch me, but they fell into it. Selah
⁷God, I am ready, heart and soul, to sing songs of praise.
⁸Wake up, my soul! Harps and lyres, wake up, and let’s wake the dawn!
⁹My Lord, I will praise you before all people. I will sing praises about you to every nation.
¹⁰Your faithful love is higher than the highest clouds in the sky!
¹¹Rise above the heavens, God. Let all the world see your glory.

¹You judges are not being fair in your decisions. You are not judging people fairly.
²No, you only think of evil things to do. You do violent crimes in this country.
³Those wicked people started doing wrong as soon as they were born. They have been liars from birth.
⁴Their anger is as deadly as the poison of a snake. They shut their ears like a deaf cobra
⁵that does not listen to the music of the snake charmers, no matter how well they play.
⁶God, they are like lions. So, Lord, break their teeth.
⁷May they disappear like water down a drain. May they be crushed like weeds on a path.
⁸May they be like snails melting away as they move. May they be like a baby born dead, who never saw the light of day.
⁹May they be destroyed suddenly, like the thorns that are burned to quickly heat a pot.
¹⁰Good people will be happy when they see the wicked getting the punishment they deserve. They will feel like soldiers walking through the blood of their enemies!
¹¹Then people will say, “Good people really are rewarded. Yes, there is a God judging the world!”

¹God, save me from my enemies. Protect me from those who stand against me.
²Save me from those who do wrong. Save me from those murderers.
³Look, powerful men are waiting for me. Lord, they are waiting to kill me, even though I did not sin or commit a crime.
⁴I have done nothing wrong, but they are rushing to attack me. Come and see for yourself!
⁵You are the Lord God All-Powerful, the God of Israel! Get up and punish them. Don’t show any mercy to those traitors. Selah
⁶Those evil men are like dogs that come into town in the evening, growling and roaming the streets.
⁷Listen to their threats and insults. They say such cruel things, and they don’t care who hears them.
⁸Lord, laugh at them. Make fun of them all.
⁹God, my strength, I look to you for help. You are my place of safety, high in the mountains.
¹⁰God loves me, and he will help me win. He will help me defeat my enemies.
¹¹Don’t just kill them, or my people might forget. My Lord and Protector, scatter and defeat them with your strength.
¹²Those evil people curse and tell lies. Punish them for what they said. Let their pride trap them.
¹³Destroy them in your anger. Destroy them completely! Then people all over the world will know that God rules over the people of Jacob. Selah
¹⁴Those evil men are like dogs that come into town in the evening, growling and roaming the streets.
¹⁵They roam around looking for food, but even if they eat their fill, they still growl and complain.
¹⁶But I will sing about your strength. I will rejoice in your love every morning. You have been my place of safety, the place I can run to when troubles come.
¹⁷I will sing praises to you, my source of strength. You, God, are my place of safety. You are the God who loves me!

¹God, you were angry with us. You rejected us and destroyed our defenses. Please make us strong again.
²You shook the earth and split it open. It is falling apart like a broken wall. Please put it back together.
³You have given your people many troubles. We are dizzy and fall down like drunks.
⁴But you have provided a flag to show your faithful followers where to gather to escape the enemy’s attack. Selah
⁵Use your great power and give us victory! Answer our prayer and save the people you love.
⁶God has spoken in his Temple : “I will win the war and rejoice in victory! I will divide this land among my people. I will give them Shechem. I will give them Succoth Valley.
⁷Gilead and Manasseh will be mine. Ephraim will be my helmet. Judah will be my royal scepter.
⁸Moab will be the bowl for washing my feet. Edom will be the slave who carries my sandals. I will defeat the Philistines and shout in victory!”
^9-10But, God, it seems that you have left us! You do not go out with our army. So who will lead me into the strong, protected city? Who will lead me into battle against Edom?
¹¹Help us defeat the enemy! No one on earth can rescue us.
¹²Only God can make us strong. Only God can defeat our enemies!

¹God, hear my cry for help. Listen to my prayer.
²From a faraway land I call to you for help. I feel so weak and helpless! Carry me to a high rock where no one can reach me.
³You are my place of safety, a strong tower that protects me from my enemies.
⁴I want to live in your tent forever. I want to hide where you can protect me. Selah
⁵God, you heard what I promised to give you, but everything your worshipers have comes from you.
⁶Give the king a long life. Let him live forever!
⁷Let him rule in your presence forever. Protect him with your faithful love.
⁸Then I will praise your name forever. Every day I will do what I promised.

¹I must calm down and turn to God; only he can rescue me.
²He is my Rock, the only one who can save me. He is my high place of safety, where no army can defeat me.
³How long will you people attack me? Do you all want to kill me? I am like a leaning wall, like a fence ready to fall.
⁴You want only to destroy me, to bring me down from my important position. It makes you happy to tell lies about me. In public, you say nice things, but in private, you curse me. Selah
⁵I must calm down and turn to God; he is my only hope.
⁶He is my Rock, the only one who can save me. He is my high place of safety, where no army can defeat me.
⁷My victory and honor come from God. He is the mighty Rock, where I am safe.
⁸People, always put your trust in God! Tell him all your problems. God is our place of safety. Selah
⁹People cannot really help. You cannot depend on them. Compared to God, they are nothing— no more than a gentle puff of air!
¹⁰Don’t trust in your power to take things by force. Don’t think you will gain anything by stealing. And if you become wealthy, don’t put your trust in riches.
¹¹God says there is one thing you can really depend on, and I believe it: “Strength comes from God!”
¹²My Lord, your love is real. You reward all people for what they do.

¹God, you are my God. I am searching so hard to find you. Body and soul, I thirst for you in this dry and weary land without water.
²Yes, I have seen you in your Temple. I have seen your strength and glory.
³Your faithful love is better than life, so my lips praise you.
⁴By my life, I will praise you. In your name, I lift my hands in prayer.
⁵When I sit down to satisfy my hunger, my joyful lips hunger to praise you!
⁶I remember you while lying on my bed. I think about you in the middle of the night.
⁷That is because you are the one who helps me. It makes me happy to be under your protection!
⁸I stay close to you, and you hold me with your powerful arm.
⁹Those who are trying to kill me will be destroyed. They will go down to their graves.
¹⁰They will be killed with swords. Wild dogs will eat their dead bodies.
¹¹But the king will be happy with his God, and those who promised to obey him will praise him when he defeats those liars.

¹God, listen to my complaint. Save me from the terrible threats of my enemies!
²Protect me from the secret plans of the wicked. Hide me from that gang of evil people.
³They sharpen their tongues to use like swords. They aim their poisonous words like arrows.
⁴Suddenly, from their hiding places, they let their arrows fly. They shoot to kill innocent people.
⁵They encourage each other to do wrong. They talk about setting traps and say, “No one will see them here!
⁶No one will discover our crime. We have the perfect plan!” Yes, people can be very tricky and hard to understand.
⁷But suddenly, God will shoot his arrows, and those wicked people will be hit.
⁸He will use their own words against them, and they will be destroyed. Then everyone who sees them will shake their heads in amazement.
⁹People will see what God has done. They will tell other people about him. Then everyone will learn more about God. They will learn to fear and respect him.
¹⁰Good people are happy to serve the Lord. They depend on him to protect them. All those who want to do right will praise him!

¹God in Zion, we praise you and give you what we promised.
²Anyone can come to you, and you will listen to their prayers.
³When our sins become too heavy for us, you wipe them away.
⁴Oh, how wonderful it is to be the people you chose to come and stay in your Temple. And we are so happy to have the wonderful things that are in your Temple, your holy palace.
⁵God, you answer our prayers and do what is right. You do amazing things to save us. People all over the world know they can trust in you, even those who live across the sea.
⁶You made the mountains. We see your power all around us.
⁷You can calm the roughest seas or the nations raging around us.
⁸People all around the world are amazed at the wonderful things you do. You make all people, east and west, sing with joy.
⁹You take care of the land. You water it and make it fertile. Your streams are always filled with water. That’s how you make the crops grow.
¹⁰You pour rain on the plowed fields; you soak the fields with water. You make the ground soft with rain, and you make the young plants grow.
¹¹You start the new year with a good harvest. You end the year with many crops.
¹²The desert and hills are covered with grass.
¹³The pastures are covered with sheep. The valleys are filled with grain. Everything is singing and shouting for joy.

¹Everything on earth, shout with joy to God!
²Praise his glorious name! Honor him with songs of praise!
³Tell God, “Your works are wonderful! Your great power makes your enemies bow down in fear before you.
⁴Let the whole world worship you. Let everyone sing praises to your name.” Selah
⁵Look at what God has done! These things amaze us.
⁶He changed the sea to dry land, and his people went across the water on foot. So let’s celebrate because of what he has done!
⁷He rules the world with his great power. He watches people everywhere. No one can rebel against him. Selah
⁸People, praise our God. Sing loud songs of praise to him.
⁹He continues to give us life, and he keeps us from falling.
¹⁰God, you have tested us, as people test silver with fire.
¹¹You let us be trapped. You put heavy burdens on us.
¹²You let our enemies run over us. We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a safe place.
^13-14So I bring sacrifices to your Temple. When I was in trouble, I asked for help and made promises to you. Now I am giving you what I promised.
¹⁵I bring my best sheep as burnt offerings. I offer the smoke from them up to you. I give you sacrifices of bulls and goats. Selah
¹⁶All you people who worship God, come and I will tell you what he has done for me.
^17-18I cried out to him for help, and I praised him. If I had been hiding sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened to me.
¹⁹But God did listen to me; he heard my prayer.
²⁰Praise God! He did not turn away from me—he listened to my prayer. He continues to show his love to me!

¹God, show mercy to us and bless us. Please accept us! Selah
²Let everyone on earth learn about you. Let every nation see how you save people.
³May people praise you, God! May all people praise you.
⁴May all nations rejoice and be happy because you judge people fairly. You rule over every nation.
⁵May the people praise you, God! May all people praise you.
⁶God, our God, bless us. Let our land give us a great harvest.
⁷May God bless us, and may all people on earth fear and respect him.

¹God, get up and scatter your enemies! May all your enemies run from you.
²May your enemies be scattered like smoke blown away by the wind. May your enemies be destroyed like wax melting in a fire.
³But let good people be happy. Let them gather before God and enjoy themselves together.
⁴Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Prepare the way for the one who rides on the clouds. His name is Yah. Worship before him with joy.
⁵God, who lives in his holy palace, is a father to orphans, and he takes care of widows.
⁶God provides homes for those who are lonely. He frees people from prison and makes them happy. But those who turn against him will live in the desert.
⁷God, you led your people out of Egypt. You marched across the desert. Selah
⁸The ground shook and rain poured from the sky when God, the God of Israel, came to Sinai.
⁹God, you sent the rain to make a tired, old land strong again.
¹⁰Your people came back to live there, and you provided good things for the poor.
¹¹My Lord gave the command, and many people went to tell the good news:
¹²“The armies of powerful kings ran away! At home, the women divide the things brought from the battle.
¹³Those who stayed home will share in the wealth— metal doves with wings covered in silver and feathers sparkling with gold.”
¹⁴God All-Powerful scattered the kings like snow falling on Mount Zalmon.
¹⁵Mount Bashan is a great mountain with many high peaks.
¹⁶But, Bashan, why are you jealous of Mount Zion? That is where God has chosen to live. The Lord will live there forever.
¹⁷With his millions of chariots, the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.
¹⁸You went up to your high place, leading a parade of captives. You received gifts from people, even those who turned against you. The Lord God went up there to live.
¹⁹Praise the Lord! Every day he helps us with the loads we must carry. He is the God who saves us. Selah
²⁰He is our God, the God who saves us. My Lord God saves us from death.
²¹God will smash the heads of his enemies. He will punish those who fight against him.
²²My Lord said, “If they run up to Bashan or down to the depths of the sea, I will bring them back.
²³So you will march through pools of their blood, and there will be plenty left for your dogs.”
²⁴God, everyone can see your victory parade— the victory march of my God and King into his holy place!
²⁵Singers come marching in front, followed by the musicians; they are surrounded by young girls playing tambourines.
²⁶Praise God in the meeting place. Praise the Lord, people of Israel!
²⁷There is the smallest tribe, Benjamin, leading them. And there comes a large group of leaders from Judah. Following them are the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.
²⁸God, show us your power! Show us the power you used for us in the past.
²⁹Kings will bring their wealth to you, to your Temple in Jerusalem.
³⁰Punish the people in Egypt. They are like cattle in the marshes, like bulls among the calves. You humiliated them. You scattered them in war. Now let them come crawling to you, bringing their pieces of silver.
³¹Messengers from Egypt will come bearing gifts. Ethiopia will offer God their tribute.
³²Kings on earth, sing to God! Sing songs of praise to our Lord! Selah
³³Sing to him who rides his chariot through the ancient skies. Listen to his powerful voice!
³⁴Tell everyone how powerful he is! He rules over Israel. His power fills the skies.
³⁵God, you are awesome in your Temple! The God of Israel is the one who gives strength and power to his people. Praise God!

¹God, save me from all my troubles! The rising water has reached my neck.
²I have nothing to stand on. I am sinking down, down into the mud. I am in deep water, and the waves are about to cover me.
³I am getting weak from calling for help. My throat is sore. I have waited and looked for your help until my eyes are hurting.
⁴I have more enemies than the hairs on my head. They hate me for no reason. They try hard to destroy me. My enemies tell lies about me. They say I stole from them and they demand that I pay for things I did not steal.
⁵God, you know my faults. I cannot hide my sins from you.
⁶My Lord God All-Powerful, don’t let me embarrass your followers. God of Israel, don’t let me bring disgrace to those who worship you.
⁷My face is covered with shame. I carry this shame for you.
⁸My own brothers treat me like a stranger. They act as if I came from a foreign land.
⁹My strong devotion to your Temple is destroying me. Those who insult you are also insulting me.
¹⁰When I spend time crying and fasting, they make fun of me.
¹¹When I wear sackcloth to show my sorrow, they tell jokes about me.
¹²They talk about me in public places. The beer drinkers make up songs about me.
¹³As for me, Lord, this is my prayer to you: Please accept me! God, I want you to answer me with love. I know I can trust you to save me.
¹⁴Pull me from the mud, and don’t let me sink down deeper. Save me from those who hate me. Save me from this deep water.
¹⁵Don’t let the waves drown me. Don’t let the deep sea swallow me or the grave close its mouth on me.
¹⁶Answer me, Lord, from the goodness of your faithful love. Out of your great kindness turn to me and help me!
¹⁷Don’t turn away from your servant. I am in trouble, so hurry and help me!
¹⁸Come save my soul. Rescue me from my enemies.
¹⁹You know the shame I have suffered. You know all my enemies. You saw how they humiliated me.
²⁰I feel the pain of their insults. The shame makes me feel like dying! I wanted some sympathy, but there was none. I waited for someone to comfort me, but no one came.
²¹They gave me poison, not food. They gave me vinegar, not wine.
²²Their tables are covered with food. Let their fellowship meals destroy them.
²³Let them go blind and their backs become weak.
²⁴Show them how angry you are. Let them feel what your anger can do.
²⁵Make their homes empty. Don’t let anyone live there.
²⁶They try to hurt people you have already punished. They tell everyone about the suffering you gave them.
²⁷Punish them for the bad things they have done. Don’t show them how good you can be.
²⁸Erase their names from the book of life. Don’t let their names appear on the list of those who do what is right.
²⁹I am sad and hurting. God, lift me up and save me!
³⁰I will praise God’s name in song. I will honor him by giving him thanks.
³¹The Lord will be happier with this than with the offering of an ox or a full-grown bull as a sacrifice.
³²Poor people, you came to worship God. You will be happy to know these things.
³³The Lord listens to poor, helpless people. He does not turn away from those who are in prison.
³⁴Praise him, heaven and earth! Sea and everything in it, praise him!
³⁵God will save Zion. He will rebuild the cities of Judah. The people will settle there again and own the land.
³⁶The descendants of his servants will get that land. Those who love his name will live there.

¹Please, God, rescue me! Lord, hurry and help me!
²People are trying to kill me. Please disappoint them. Humiliate them! They want to hurt me. Make them run away in shame.
³May those who make fun of me be too embarrassed to speak.
⁴But may those who come to you be happy and rejoice. May those who love being saved by you always be able to say, “Praise God!”
⁵I am only a poor, helpless man. God, please hurry to me. You are my helper, the one who can save me. Lord, don’t be too late!

¹Lord, I depend on you for protection. Don’t let me be disappointed.
²You always do what is right, so come and save me. Listen to me and save me.
³Be my Rock, my place of safety. Be my fortress, and protect me! You are my Rock and my protection.
⁴My God, save me from wicked people. Save me from cruel, evil people.
⁵Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was a young boy.
⁶I depended on you even before I was born. I relied on you even in my mother’s womb. I have always prayed to you.
⁷You are my source of strength, so I have been an example to others.
⁸I am always singing about the wonderful things you do.
⁹Don’t throw me away just because I am old. Don’t leave me as I lose my strength.
¹⁰My enemies make plans against me. They have met together and are making plans to kill me.
¹¹They say, “Go get him! God has left him, so there is no one to help him.”
¹²God, don’t leave me! My God, hurry and help me!
¹³Defeat my enemies. Destroy them completely! They are trying to hurt me. Let them suffer shame and disgrace.
¹⁴Then I will always trust in you and praise you more and more.
¹⁵I will tell people how good you are. I will tell about all the times you saved me— too many times to count.
¹⁶I will tell about your greatness, my Lord God. I will talk only about you and your goodness.
¹⁷God, you have taught me since I was a young boy. And to this day I have told people about the wonderful things you do.
¹⁸Now that I am old and my hair is gray, don’t leave me, God. I must tell the next generation about your power and greatness.
¹⁹God, your goodness reaches far above the skies. You have done wonderful things. God, there is no one like you.
²⁰You have let me see troubles and hard times, but you will give me new life; you will lift me up from this pit of death!
²¹You will help me do even greater things. You will comfort me again!
²²I will play the harp and praise you. My God, I will sing about your faithfulness. I will play songs on my lyre for the Holy One of Israel.
²³I will shout for joy, singing songs of praise to you for saving me.
²⁴My tongue will sing about your goodness all the time, because those who wanted to kill me have been defeated and disgraced.

¹God, help the king be like you and make fair decisions. Help the king’s son know what justice is.
²Help the king judge your people fairly. Help him make wise decisions for your poor people.
³Let there be peace and justice throughout the land, known on every mountain and hill.
⁴May the king be fair to the poor. May he help the helpless and punish those who hurt them.
⁵May people always fear and respect you, God, as long as the sun shines and the moon is in the sky.
⁶Help the king be like rain falling on the fields, like showers falling on the land.
⁷Let goodness grow everywhere while he is king. Let peace continue as long as there is a moon.
⁸Let his kingdom grow from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River to the faraway places on earth.
⁹May all the people living in the desert bow down to him. May all his enemies bow before him with their faces in the dirt.
¹⁰May the kings of Tarshish and all the faraway lands by the sea bring gifts to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba bring their tribute to him.
¹¹May all kings bow down to our king. May all nations serve him.
¹²Our king helps the poor who cry out to him— those in need who have no one to help them.
¹³He feels sorry for all who are weak and poor. He protects their lives.
¹⁴He saves them from the cruel people who try to hurt them. Their lives are important to him.
¹⁵Long live the king! Let him receive gold from Sheba. Always pray for the king. Ask God to bless him every day.
¹⁶May the fields grow plenty of grain and the hills be covered with crops. May the fields be as fertile as Lebanon, and may people fill the cities as grass covers a field.
¹⁷May the king be famous forever. May people remember his name as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through him, and may they all bless him.
¹⁸Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel! Only he can do such amazing things.
¹⁹Praise his glorious name forever! Let his glory fill the whole world. Amen and Amen!
²⁰(This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.)

¹God is so good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.
²But I almost slipped and lost my balance. I almost fell into sin.
³I saw that wicked people were successful, and I became jealous of those proud people.
⁴They are healthy. They don’t have to struggle to survive.
⁵They don’t suffer like the rest of us. They don’t have troubles like other people.
⁶So they are proud and hateful. This is as easy to see as the jewels and fancy clothes they wear.
⁷If they see something they like, they go and take it. They do whatever they want.
⁸They make fun of others and say cruel things about them. In their pride they make plans to hurt people.
⁹They think they are gods! They think they are the rulers of the earth.
¹⁰Even God’s people turn to them and do what they say.
¹¹Those evil people say, “God does not know what we are doing! God Most High does not know!”
¹²Those proud people are wicked, but they are rich and getting richer.
¹³Clearly, then, I gain nothing by keeping my thoughts pure! What good is it to keep myself from sin?
¹⁴God, I suffer all day long, and you punish me every morning.
¹⁵I wanted to tell others these things, but that would have made me a traitor to your people.
¹⁶I tried hard to understand all this, but it was too hard for me.
¹⁷But then, God, I went to your Temple, and I understood what will happen to the wicked.
¹⁸Clearly, you have put them in danger. You make it easy for them to fall and be destroyed.
¹⁹Trouble can come suddenly, and they will be ruined. Terrible things can happen to them, and they will be finished.
²⁰Then they will be like a dream that we forget when we wake up. You will make them disappear like the monsters in our dreams.
^21-22I was so stupid. I thought about such people and became upset. God, I was upset and angry with you! I acted like a senseless animal.
²³But I am always with you. You hold my hand.
²⁴You lead me and give me good advice, and later you will lead me to glory.
²⁵In heaven, God, I have only you. And if I am with you, what on earth could I want?
²⁶Maybe my mind and body will become weak, but God is my source of strength. He is mine forever!
²⁷God, people who leave you will be lost. You will destroy all who are not faithful to you.
²⁸As for me, all I need is to be close to God. I have made the Lord God my place of safety. And, God, I will tell about all that you have done.

¹God, why have you turned away from us for so long? Why are you still angry with us, your own flock?
²Remember the people you bought so long ago. You saved us, and we belong to you. And remember Mount Zion, the place where you lived.
³God, come walk through these ancient ruins. Come back to the Holy Place that the enemy destroyed.
⁴The enemy shouted their war cries in the Temple. They put up their flags there to show they had won the war.
⁵Their soldiers attacked the doors, like workmen chopping down trees.
⁶Using axes and hatchets, they smashed the carved panels inside.
⁷They burned down your Holy Place. It was built to honor your name, but they pulled it down to the ground.
⁸The enemy decided to crush us completely. They burned every holy place in the country.
⁹We do not see any of our signs. There are no more prophets. And no one knows how long this will last.
¹⁰God, how much longer will the enemy make fun of us? Will you let them insult your name forever?
¹¹Why won’t you help us? Use your power to defeat our enemies!
¹²God, you have been our King for a long time. You have saved us many times on this earth.
¹³With your great power you split open the sea and broke the heads of the sea monster.
¹⁴Yes, you smashed the heads of Leviathan and left his body for animals to eat.
¹⁵You make the springs and rivers flow, and you make the rivers dry up.
¹⁶You control the day and the night. You made the sun and the moon.
¹⁷You set the limits for everything on earth. And you created summer and winter.
¹⁸Lord, remember, the enemy insulted you! Those foolish people hate your name!
¹⁹Don’t give us like a helpless dove to those wild animals. Never forget your poor, suffering people.
²⁰Remember the agreement you gave us, because violence fills every dark place in this land.
²¹Your people were treated badly. Don’t let them be hurt anymore. Let your poor, helpless people praise you.
²²God, get up and defend yourself! Remember, those fools challenged you.
²³Don’t forget the shouts of your enemies. They insulted you again and again.

¹We praise you, God! We praise you because you are near to us. We tell about the amazing things you have done.
²God says, “I have chosen a time for judgment, and I will judge fairly.
³The earth and all its people may shake, but I am the one who keeps it steady. Selah
⁴“To those who are proud I say, ‘Stop your boasting.’ I warn the wicked, ‘Don’t brag about how strong you are.
⁵Don’t be so sure that you will win. Don’t boast that victory is yours!’”
⁶There is no power on earth that can make a person important.
⁷God is the judge. He decides who will be important. He lifts one person up and brings another down.
⁸The Lord has a cup in his hand. It is filled with the poisoned wine of his anger. He will pour out this wine, and the wicked will drink it to the last drop.
⁹I will always tell people how great God is. I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
¹⁰God says, “I will take away any power the wicked have and give it to those who are good.”

¹People in Judah know God. People in Israel respect his name.
²His Temple is in Salem. His house is on Mount Zion.
³There he shattered the arrows, shields, swords, and other weapons of war. Selah
⁴God, you are glorious coming back from the hills where you defeated your enemies.
⁵They thought they were strong, but now they lie dead in the fields. Their bodies are stripped of all they owned. They could not defend themselves.
⁶The God of Jacob shouted at them, and their army of chariots and horses fell dead.
⁷God, you are awesome! No one can stand against you when you are angry.
^8-9You stood as judge and announced your decision. You saved the humble people of the land. From heaven you gave the decision, and the whole earth was silent and afraid.
¹⁰Even human anger can bring you honor when you use it to punish your enemies.
¹¹People, you made promises to the Lord your God. Now give him what you promised. People everywhere fear and respect God, and they will bring gifts to him.
¹²God defeats great leaders; all the kings on earth fear him.

¹I cry out to God for help. I cry out to you, God; listen to me!
²My Lord, in my time of trouble I came to you. I reached out for you all night long. My soul refused to be comforted.
³I thought about you, God, and tried to tell you how I felt, but I could not.
⁴You would not let me sleep. I tried to say something, but I was too upset.
⁵I kept thinking about the past, about things that happened long ago.
⁶During the night, I thought about my songs. I talked to myself, trying to understand what is happening.
⁷I wondered, “Has our Lord rejected us forever? Will he ever accept us again?
⁸Is his love gone forever? Will he never again speak to us?
⁹Has God forgotten what mercy is? Has his compassion changed to anger?” Selah
¹⁰Then I said to myself, “What bothers me most is the thought that God Most High has lost his power.”
¹¹Lord, I remember what you have done. I remember the amazing things you did long ago.
¹²I think about those things. I think about them all the time.
¹³God, all that you do is holy. No god is as great as you are.
¹⁴You are the God who does amazing things. You showed the nations your great power.
¹⁵By your power you saved your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
¹⁶God, the water saw you and became afraid. The deep water shook with fear.
¹⁷The thick clouds dropped their water. Thunder roared in the sky above. Your arrows of lightning flashed through the clouds.
¹⁸There were loud claps of thunder. Lightning lit up the world. The earth shook and trembled.
¹⁹You walked through the water and crossed the deep sea, but you left no footprints.
²⁰You led your people like sheep, using Moses and Aaron to guide them.

¹My people, listen to my teachings. Listen to what I say.
²I will tell you a story. I will tell you about things from the past that are hard to understand.
³We have heard the story, and we know it well. Our fathers told it to us.
⁴And we will not forget it. Our people will be telling this story to the last generation. We will all praise the Lord and tell about the amazing things he did.
⁵He made an agreement with Jacob. He gave the law to Israel. He gave the commands to our ancestors. He told them to teach the law to their children.
⁶Then the next generation, even the children not yet born, would learn the law. And they would be able to teach it to their own children.
⁷So they would all trust in God, never forgetting what he had done and always obeying his commands.
⁸They would not be like their ancestors, who were stubborn and refused to obey. Their hearts were not devoted to God, and they were not faithful to him.
⁹The men from Ephraim had their weapons, but they ran from the battle.
¹⁰They did not keep their agreement with God. They refused to obey his teachings.
¹¹They forgot the great things he had done and the amazing things he had shown them.
¹²While their ancestors watched, he showed his great power at Zoan in Egypt.
¹³He split the Red Sea and led the people across. The water stood like a solid wall on both sides of them.
¹⁴Each day God led them with the tall cloud, and each night he led them with the light from the column of fire.
¹⁵He split the rocks in the desert and gave them an ocean of fresh water.
¹⁶He brought a stream of water out of the rock and made it flow like a river!
¹⁷But they continued sinning against him. They rebelled against God Most High in the desert.
¹⁸Then they decided to test God by telling him to give them the food they wanted.
¹⁹They complained about him and said, “Can God give us food in the desert?
²⁰Yes, he struck the rock and a flood of water came out. But can he give us bread and meat?”
²¹The Lord heard what they said and became angry with Jacob’s people. He was angry with Israel,
²²because they did not trust in him. They did not believe that God could save them.
^23-24But then God opened the clouds above, and manna rained down on them for food. It was as if doors in the sky opened, and grain poured down from a storehouse in the sky.
²⁵These people ate the food of angels. God sent plenty of food to satisfy them.
²⁶He sent a strong wind from the east, and by his power he made the south wind blow.
²⁷He made quail fall like rain until they covered the ground. There were so many birds that they were like sand on the seashore.
²⁸The birds fell in the middle of the camp, all around their tents.
²⁹The people ate until they were full. God had given them what they wanted.
³⁰But before they were fully satisfied, while the food was still in their mouths,
³¹God became angry and killed even the strongest of them. He brought down Israel’s best young men.
³²But the people continued to sin! They did not trust in the amazing things God could do.
³³So he ended their worthless lives; he brought their years to a close with disaster.
³⁴When he killed some of them, the others would turn back to him. They would come running back to God.
³⁵They would remember that God was their Rock. They would remember that God Most High had saved them.
³⁶But they tried to fool him with their words; they told him lies.
³⁷Their hearts were not really with him. They were not faithful to the agreement he gave them.
³⁸But God was merciful. He forgave their sins and did not destroy them. Many times he held back his anger. He never let it get out of control.
³⁹He remembered that they were only people, like a wind that blows and then is gone.
⁴⁰Oh, they caused him so much trouble in the desert! They made him so sad.
⁴¹Again and again they tested his patience. They really hurt the Holy One of Israel.
⁴²They forgot about his power. They forgot the many times he saved them from the enemy.
⁴³They forgot the miracles in Egypt, the miracles in the fields of Zoan.
⁴⁴God turned the rivers into blood, and the Egyptians could not drink the water.
⁴⁵He sent swarms of flies that bit them. He sent the frogs that ruined their lives.
⁴⁶He gave their crops to grasshoppers and their other plants to locusts.
⁴⁷He destroyed their vines with hail and their trees with sleet.
⁴⁸He killed their animals with hail and their cattle with lightning.
⁴⁹He showed the Egyptians his anger. He sent his destroying angels against them.
⁵⁰He found a way to show his anger. He did not spare their lives. He let them die with a deadly disease.
⁵¹He killed all the firstborn sons in Egypt. He killed every firstborn in Ham’s family.
⁵²Then he led Israel like a shepherd. He led his people like sheep into the desert.
⁵³He guided them safely. They had nothing to fear. He drowned their enemies in the sea.
⁵⁴He led his people to his holy land, to the mountain he took with his own power.
⁵⁵He forced the other nations out before them and gave each family its share of the land. He gave each tribe of Israel a place to live.
⁵⁶But they tested God Most High and made him very sad. They didn’t obey his commands.
⁵⁷They turned against him and were unfaithful just like their ancestors. They changed directions like a boomerang.
⁵⁸They built high places and made God angry. They built statues of false gods and made him jealous.
⁵⁹God heard what they were doing and became very angry. So he rejected Israel completely!
⁶⁰He abandoned his place at Shiloh, the Holy Tent where he lived among the people.
⁶¹He let foreigners capture the Box of the Agreement, the symbol of his power and glory.
⁶²He showed his anger against his people and let them be killed in war.
⁶³Their young men were burned to death, and there were no wedding songs for their young women.
⁶⁴Their priests were killed, but the widows had no time to mourn for them.
⁶⁵Finally, our Lord got up like a man waking from his sleep, like a soldier after drinking too much wine.
⁶⁶He forced his enemies to turn back defeated. He brought them shame that will last forever.
⁶⁷Then he rejected Joseph’s family. He did not accept Ephraim’s family.
⁶⁸No, he chose the tribe of Judah, and he chose Mount Zion, the place he loves.
⁶⁹He built his holy Temple high on that mountain. Like the earth, God built his Temple to last forever.
⁷⁰He chose David to be his special servant. He took him from the sheep pens.
⁷¹He took him away from the job of caring for sheep and gave him the job of caring for the descendants of Jacob—Israel, his chosen people.
⁷²And David led them with a pure heart and guided them very wisely.

¹God, some people from other nations came to fight your people. They ruined your holy Temple. They left Jerusalem in ruins.
²They left the bodies of your servants for the wild birds to eat. They let wild animals eat the bodies of your followers.
³Blood flowed like water all over Jerusalem. No one is left to bury the bodies.
⁴The countries around us insult us. The people around us laugh at us and make fun of us.
⁵Lord, will you be angry with us forever? Will your strong feelings continue to burn like a fire?
⁶Turn your anger against the nations that do not know you, against the people who do not honor you as God.
⁷Those nations killed Jacob’s family and destroyed their land.
⁸Please don’t punish us for the sins of our ancestors. Hurry, show us your mercy! We need you so much!
⁹Our God and Savior, help us! That will bring glory to your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the good of your name.
¹⁰Don’t give the other nations a reason to say, “Where is their God? Can’t he help them?” Let us see you punish those people. Punish them for killing your servants.
¹¹Listen to the sad cries of the prisoners! Use your great power to free those who are sentenced to die.
¹²Punish the nations around us! Pay them back seven times for what they did to us. Punish them for insulting you.
¹³We are your people, the sheep of your flock. We will praise you forever. We will praise you forever and ever!

¹Shepherd of Israel, listen to us. You lead your people like sheep. You sit on your throne above the Cherub angels. Let us see you.
²Shepherd of Israel, show your greatness to the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Come and save your people.
³God, accept us again. Smile down on us and save us!
⁴Lord God All-Powerful, when will you listen to our prayers? How long will you be angry with us?
⁵Instead of bread and water, you gave your people tears.
⁶You made us the target of everyone’s hatred. Our enemies make fun of us.
⁷God All-Powerful, accept us again. Smile down on us and save us!
⁸When you brought us out of Egypt, we were like your special vine. You forced other nations to leave this land, and you planted that vine here.
⁹You prepared the ground for it, and it sent its roots down deep and spread throughout the land.
¹⁰It covered the mountains, and its leaves shaded even the giant cedar trees.
¹¹Its branches spread to the Mediterranean Sea, its shoots to the Euphrates River.
¹²God, why did you pull down the walls that protect your vine? Now everyone who passes by picks its grapes.
¹³Wild pigs come and ruin it. Wild animals eat the leaves.
¹⁴God All-Powerful, come back. Look down from heaven at your vine and protect it.
¹⁵Look at the vine you planted with your own hands. Look at the young plant you raised.
¹⁶Our enemies have cut it down and burned it up. Show them how angry you are and destroy them.
¹⁷Reach out and help your chosen one. Reach out to the people you raised up.
¹⁸Then we will never leave you. Let us live, and we will worship you.
¹⁹Lord God All-Powerful, accept us again. Smile down on us and save us!

¹Be happy and sing to God, our strength. Shout with joy to the God of Jacob.
²Begin the music. Play the tambourines. Play the pleasant harps and lyres.
³Blow the ram’s horn at the time of the new moon and at the time of the full moon, when our festival begins.
⁴This is the law for the people of Israel. The God of Jacob gave the command.
⁵God made this agreement with Joseph’s people, when he led them out of Egypt. In a language we didn’t understand, God said,
⁶“I took the load from your shoulder. I let you drop the worker’s basket.
⁷When you were in trouble, you called for help, and I set you free. I was hidden in the storm clouds, and I answered you. I tested you by the water at Meribah. ” Selah
⁸“My people, I am warning you. Israel, listen to me!
⁹Don’t worship any of the false gods that the foreigners worship.
¹⁰I, the Lord, am your God. I brought you out of Egypt. Israel, open your mouth, and I will feed you.
¹¹“But my people did not listen to me. Israel did not obey me.
¹²So I let them go their own stubborn way and do whatever they wanted.
¹³If my people would listen to me and would live the way I want,
¹⁴then I would defeat their enemies. I would punish those who cause them trouble.
¹⁵Those who hate the Lord would shake with fear. They would be punished forever.
¹⁶I would give the best wheat to my people. I would give them the purest honey, until they were satisfied.”

¹God stands in the assembly of the gods. He stands as judge among the judges.
²He says, “How long will you judge unfairly and show special favors to the wicked?” Selah
³“Defend the poor and orphans. Protect the rights of the poor.
⁴Help those who are poor and helpless. Save them from those who are evil.
⁵“They don’t know what is happening. They don’t understand! They don’t know what they are doing. Their world is falling down around them!”
⁶I, God Most High, say, “You are gods, my own sons.
⁷But you will die as all people must die. Your life will end like that of any ruler.”
⁸Get up, God! You be the judge! You be the leader over all the nations!

¹God, don’t keep quiet! Don’t close your ears! Please say something, God.
²Your enemies are getting ready to do something. Those who hate you will soon attack.
³They are making secret plans against your people. Your enemies are discussing plans against the people you love.
⁴They say, “Come, let us destroy them completely. Then no one will ever again remember the name Israel.”
⁵God, they have all joined together. They have united against you.
^6-7Their army includes the Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moabites, and Hagar’s descendants, the people of Byblos, Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines, and the people of Tyre.
⁸Even the Assyrians have joined them. They have made Lot’s descendants very powerful. Selah
⁹God, defeat them just as you defeated Midian. Do what you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
¹⁰You destroyed the enemy at Endor, and their bodies rotted on the ground.
¹¹Punish their leaders as you did Oreb and Zeeb. Do what you did to Zebah and Zalmunna.
¹²They said, “Let’s make this land our own— these fields of grass that belong to God!”
¹³Make them like weeds blown by the wind. Scatter them the way wind scatters straw.
¹⁴Be like a fire that destroys a forest or like a flame that sets the hills on fire.
¹⁵Chase them away with your blasts of wind; frighten them with your storms.
¹⁶Lord, cover them with shame until they come to you for help.
¹⁷May they be forever ashamed and afraid. Disgrace and defeat them.
¹⁸Then they will know that your name is Yahweh— that you alone are the Lord. They will know that you are God Most High, ruler over all the earth!

¹Lord All-Powerful, the place where you live is so beautiful!
²Lord, I cannot wait to enter your Temple. I am so excited! Every part of me cries out to be with the Living God.
³Lord All-Powerful, my King, my God, even the birds have found a home in your Temple. They make their nests near your altar, and there they have their babies.
⁴Great blessings belong to those who live at your Temple! They continue to praise you. Selah
⁵Great blessings belong to those who depend on you for strength! Their heart’s desire is to make the trip to your Temple.
⁶They travel through Baca Valley, which God has made into a place of springs. Autumn rains form pools of water there.
⁷The people travel from town to town on their way to Zion, where they will meet with God.
⁸Lord God All-Powerful, listen to my prayer. God of Jacob, listen to me. Selah
⁹God, watch over the king, our protector. Be kind to him, the one you have chosen.
¹⁰One day in your Temple is better than a thousand days anywhere else. Serving as a guard at the gate of my God’s house is better than living in the homes of the wicked.
¹¹The Lord God is our protector and glorious king. He blesses us with kindness and honor. The Lord freely gives every good thing to those who do what is right.
¹²Lord All-Powerful, great blessings belong to those who trust in you!

¹Lord, you have been so kind to your land. You have brought success again to the people of Jacob.
²You have forgiven the bad things your people did. You have taken away the guilt of their sins! Selah
³You stopped being angry with them. Your terrible anger has gone away.
⁴Our God and Savior, accept us again. Don’t be angry with us anymore.
⁵Will you be angry with us forever? Will your anger reach to our children and to their children?
⁶Please, give us new life! Make your people happy to be yours.
⁷Lord, save us and show us your love.
⁸I heard what the Lord God said. He said there would be peace for his people and his loyal followers. So they must not go back to their foolish way of living.
⁹He will soon save his faithful followers. His glory will again live in our land.
¹⁰God’s love will come together with his faithful people. Goodness and peace will greet them with a kiss.
¹¹People on earth will be loyal to God, and God in heaven will be good to them.
¹²The Lord will give us many good things. The ground will grow many good crops.
¹³Goodness will go before the Lord and prepare the way for him.

¹I am a poor, helpless man. Lord, please listen to me and answer my prayer!
²I am your follower, so please protect me. I am your servant, and you are my God. I trust in you, so save me.
³My Lord, be kind to me. I have been praying to you all day.
⁴My Lord, I put my life in your hands. I am your servant, so make me happy.
⁵My Lord, you are good and merciful. You love all those who call to you for help.
⁶Lord, hear my prayer. Listen to my cry for mercy.
⁷I am praying to you in my time of trouble. I know you will answer me.
⁸My Lord, there is no God like you. No one can do what you have done.
⁹My Lord, you made everyone. I wish they all would come worship you and honor your name.
¹⁰You are great and do amazing things. You and you alone are God.
¹¹Lord, teach me your ways, and I will live and obey your truths. Help me make worshiping your name the most important thing in my life.
¹²My Lord God, I praise you with all my heart. I will honor your name forever!
¹³You have such great love for me. You save me from the place of death.
¹⁴Proud people are attacking me, God. A gang of cruel men is trying to kill me. They don’t respect you.
¹⁵My Lord, you are a kind and merciful God. You are patient, loyal, and full of love.
¹⁶Show that you hear me and be kind to me. I am your servant, so give me strength. I am your slave, as my mother was, so save me!
¹⁷Lord, show me a sign that you care for me. My enemies will see it and be disappointed, because you helped and comforted me.

¹The Lord built his city on the holy hills.
²He loves the gates of Zion more than any other place in Israel.
³Wonderful things are said about you, City of God. Selah
⁴God says, “Some of my people live in Egypt and Babylon. Some of them were born in Philistia, Tyre, and even Ethiopia.”
⁵But about Zion he says, “I know each and every person born there.” It is the city built by God Most High.
⁶The Lord keeps a list of all his people, and he knows where each of them was born. Selah
⁷At the festivals, people will dance and sing, “All good things come from Zion.”

¹Lord God, you are my Savior. I have been praying to you day and night.
²Please pay attention to my prayers. Listen to my prayers for mercy.
³My soul has had enough of this pain! I am ready to die.
⁴People already treat me like a dead man, like someone too weak to live.
⁵Look for me among the dead, like a body in the grave. I am one of those you have forgotten, cut off from you and your care.
⁶You put me in that hole in the ground. Yes, you put me in that dark place.
⁷Your anger presses down on me like a heavy weight. It’s like one wave after another pounding against me. Selah
⁸You made my friends leave me. They all avoid me like someone no one wants to touch. Like a prisoner in my house, I cannot go out.
⁹My eyes hurt from crying. Lord, I pray to you constantly! I lift my arms in prayer to you.
¹⁰Do you do miracles for the dead? Do ghosts rise up and praise you? No! Selah
¹¹The dead in their graves cannot talk about your faithful love. People in the world of the dead cannot talk about your faithfulness.
¹²The dead who lie in darkness cannot see the amazing things you do. Those in the world of the forgotten cannot talk about your goodness.
¹³Lord, I am asking you to help me! Early each morning I pray to you.
¹⁴Lord, why have you abandoned me? Why do you refuse to listen to me?
¹⁵I have been sick and weak since I was young. I have suffered your anger, and I am helpless.
¹⁶Your anger covers me like a flood. Your attacks are killing me.
¹⁷They surround me on every side. I feel like a drowning man.
¹⁸You caused my friends and loved ones to leave me. Now darkness is my closest friend.

¹I will sing forever about the Lord’s love. I will sing about his faithfulness forever and ever!
²I will say, “Your faithful love will last forever. Your loyalty is like the sky—there is no end to it!”
³You said, “I made an agreement with my chosen king. I made this promise to my servant David:
⁴‘There will always be someone from your family to rule. I will make your kingdom continue forever and ever.’” Selah
⁵Lord, the heavens praise you for the amazing things you do. The assembly of holy ones sings about your loyalty.
⁶No one in heaven is equal to the Lord. None of the “gods” can compare to the Lord.
⁷When God’s holy ones—the angels around his throne—meet together, they fear and respect him; he is more awesome than all those around him.
⁸Lord God All-Powerful, there is no one like you. You are strong, Lord, and always faithful.
⁹You rule the stormy sea. You can calm its angry waves.
¹⁰You defeated Rahab. You scattered your enemies with your own powerful arm.
¹¹Everything in heaven and earth belongs to you. You made the world and everything in it.
¹²You created everything north and south. Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon sing praises to your name.
¹³You have the power! Your power is great! Victory is yours!
¹⁴Your kingdom is built on truth and justice. Love and faithfulness are servants before your throne.
¹⁵Lord, your loyal followers are happy. They live in the light of your kindness.
¹⁶Your name always makes them happy. They praise your goodness.
¹⁷You are their amazing strength. Their power comes from you.
¹⁸The king, our protector, belongs to the Lord, who is the Holy One of Israel.
¹⁹Lord, you once spoke in a vision to your followers: “I have made a young soldier strong. From among my people I chose him for an important position.
²⁰I have found my servant David and anointed him as king with my special oil.
²¹I will support him with my right hand, and my arm will make him strong.
²²So no enemy will ever control him. The wicked will never defeat him.
²³I will destroy his enemies before his eyes. I will defeat those who hate him.
²⁴I will always love and support him. I will always make him strong.
²⁵I will put him in charge of the sea. He will control the rivers.
²⁶He will say to me, ‘You are my father. You are my God, my Rock, my Savior.’
²⁷And I will make him my firstborn son. He will be the great king on earth.
²⁸My love will protect him forever. My agreement with him will never end.
²⁹I will make his family continue forever. His kingdom will last as long as the skies.
³⁰If his descendants stop following my law and stop obeying my commands,
³¹if they break my laws and ignore my commands,
³²I will punish them severely for their sins and wrongs.
³³But I will never take my love from him. I will never stop being loyal to him.
³⁴I will not break my agreement with David. I will never change what I said.
³⁵By my holiness, I made a promise to him, and I would not lie to David.
³⁶His family will continue forever. His kingdom will last as long as the sun.
³⁷Like the moon, it will continue forever. The sky is a witness to the agreement that can be trusted.” Selah
³⁸But now, Lord, you have become angry with your chosen king, and you have left him all alone.
³⁹You ended the agreement you made with your servant. You threw the king’s crown into the dirt.
⁴⁰You pulled down the walls of his city. You destroyed all his fortresses.
⁴¹Everyone passing by steals from him. His neighbors laugh at him.
⁴²You made all the king’s enemies happy and let his enemies win the war.
⁴³You helped them defend themselves. You did not help your king win the battle.
⁴⁴You did not let him win. You threw his throne to the ground.
⁴⁵You cut his life short. You shamed him. Selah
⁴⁶Lord, how long will this continue? Will you ignore us forever? Will your anger burn like a fire forever?
⁴⁷Remember how short my life is. You created us to live a short life and then die.
⁴⁸Is there anyone alive who will never die? Will anyone escape the grave? Selah
⁴⁹Lord, where is the love you showed in the past? You promised David that you would be loyal to his family.
^50-51My Lord, please remember how people insulted your servant. Lord, I had to listen to all the insults from your enemies. They insulted your chosen king wherever he went.
⁵²Praise the Lord forever! Amen and Amen!

¹My Lord, you have been our home forever and ever.
²You were God before the mountains were born, before the earth and the world were made. You have always been and will always be God!
³You bring people into this world, and you change them into dust again.
⁴To you, a thousand years is like yesterday, like a few hours in the night.
⁵Our life is like a dream that ends when morning comes. We are like grass
⁶that grows and looks so fresh in the morning, but in the evening it is dry and dying.
⁷Your anger could destroy us. Your anger frightens us!
⁸You know about all our sins. You see every one of our secret sins.
⁹Your anger can end our life. Our lives fade away like a whisper.
¹⁰We live about 70 years or, if we are strong, 80 years. But most of them are filled with hard work and pain. Then, suddenly, the years are gone, and we fly away.
¹¹No one really knows the full power of your anger, but our fear and respect for you is as great as your anger.
¹²Teach us how short our lives are so that we can become wise.
¹³Lord, come back to us. Be kind to your servants.
¹⁴Fill us with your love every morning. Let us be happy and enjoy our lives.
¹⁵For years you have made life hard for us and have given us many troubles. Now make us happy for just as long.
¹⁶Let your servants see the wonderful things you can do for them. And let their children see your glory.
¹⁷Lord, our God, be kind to us. Make everything we do successful. Yes, make it all successful.

¹You can go to God Most High to hide. You can go to God All-Powerful for protection.
²I say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety, my fortress. My God, I trust in you.”
³God will save you from hidden dangers and from deadly diseases.
⁴You can go to him for protection. He will cover you like a bird spreading its wings over its babies. You can trust him to surround and protect you like a shield.
⁵You will have nothing to fear at night and no need to be afraid of enemy arrows during the day.
⁶You will have no fear of diseases that come in the dark or terrible suffering that comes at noon.
⁷A thousand people may fall dead at your side or ten thousand right beside you, but nothing bad will happen to you!
⁸All you will have to do is watch, and you will see that the wicked are punished.
⁹You trust in the Lord for protection. You have made God Most High your place of safety.
¹⁰So nothing bad will happen to you. No diseases will come near your home.
¹¹He will command his angels to protect you wherever you go.
¹²Their hands will catch you so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.
¹³You will have power to trample on lions and poisonous snakes.
¹⁴The Lord says, “If someone trusts me, I will save them. I will protect my followers who call to me for help.
¹⁵When my followers call to me, I will answer them. I will be with them when they are in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them.
¹⁶I will give my followers a long life and show them my power to save.”

¹It is good to praise the Lord. God Most High, it is good to praise your name.
²It is good to sing about your love in the morning and about your faithfulness at night.
³It is good to play for you on the ten-stringed instrument and lyre and to add the soft sounds of the harp to my praise.
⁴Lord, you make us very happy because of what you did. I gladly sing about it.
⁵Lord, you did such great things. Your thoughts are too hard for us to understand.
⁶Stupid people don’t know this. Fools don’t understand.
⁷The wicked may sprout like grass, and those who do evil may blossom like flowers, but they will be destroyed, never to be seen again.
⁸But, Lord, you will be honored forever.
⁹Lord, all your enemies will be destroyed, and all who do evil will be scattered.
¹⁰But you have made me as strong as a wild ox. You have given me your blessing.
¹¹My eyes will see the defeat of those waiting to attack me. My ears will hear the cries of my evil enemies.
¹²Good people are like budding palm trees. They grow strong like the cedar trees of Lebanon.
¹³They are planted in the house of the Lord. They grow strong there in the courtyards of our God.
¹⁴Even when they are old, they will continue producing fruit like young, healthy trees.
¹⁵They are there to show everyone that the Lord is good. He is my Rock, and he does no wrong.

¹The Lord is King. The Lord wears majesty and strength like clothes. He is ready, so the whole world is safe. It will not be shaken.
²Your kingdom has continued forever. You have lived forever!
³Lord, the ocean roars. The mighty ocean sounds like thunder as the waves crash on the shore.
⁴The crashing waves of the sea are loud and powerful, but the Lord above is even more powerful.
⁵Lord, your laws will continue forever. Your holy Temple will stand for a long time.

¹The Lord is a God who punishes people. God, come punish them.
²You are the judge of the whole earth. Give proud people the punishment they deserve.
³Lord, how long will the wicked have their fun? How much longer?
⁴How much longer will those criminals brag about the evil they did?
⁵Lord, they hurt your people and make them suffer.
⁶They kill widows and foreigners living in our country. They murder orphans.
⁷And they say the Lord does not see them doing these evil things! They say the God of Jacob does not know what is happening.
⁸You evil people are foolish. When will you learn your lesson? You are so stupid! You must try to understand.
⁹God made our ears, so surely he can hear what is happening! He made our eyes, so surely he can see you!
¹⁰The one who disciplines nations will surely correct you. He is the one who teaches us everything.
¹¹The Lord knows what people are thinking. He knows that their thoughts are like a puff of wind.
¹²Lord, great blessings belong to those you discipline, to those you teach from your law.
¹³You help them stay calm when trouble comes. You will help them until the wicked are put in their graves.
¹⁴The Lord will not leave his people. He will not leave them without help.
¹⁵Justice will return and bring fairness. And those who want to do right will be there to see it.
¹⁶No one helped me fight against the wicked. No one stood with me against those who do evil.
¹⁷And if the Lord had not helped me, I would have been silenced by death.
¹⁸I know I was ready to fall, but, Lord, your faithful love supported me.
¹⁹I was very worried and upset, but you comforted me and made me happy!
²⁰You don’t help crooked judges. They use the law to make life hard for the people.
²¹They attack those who do right. They say innocent people are guilty and put them to death.
²²But the Lord is my place of safety, high on the mountain. God, my Rock, is my safe place!
²³He will punish those evil judges for the bad things they did. He will destroy them because they sinned. The Lord our God will destroy them.

¹Come, let us sing praise to the Lord! Let us shout praises to the Rock who saves us.
²Come and worship him with songs of thanks. Let us sing happy songs of praise to him.
³For the Lord is a great God, the great King ruling over all the other “gods.”
⁴The deepest caves and the highest mountains belong to him.
⁵The ocean is his—he created it. He made the dry land with his own hands.
⁶Come, let us bow down and worship him! Let us kneel before the Lord who made us.
⁷Listen to his voice today:
⁸“Don’t be stubborn, as you were at Meribah, as you were at Massah in the desert.
⁹Your ancestors doubted and tested me, even after they saw what I could do!
¹⁰I was angry with them for 40 years. I said, ‘They are not faithful to me. They refuse to do what I say.’
¹¹So in my anger I made this vow: ‘They will never enter my land of rest.’”

¹Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole world sing to the Lord!
²Sing to the Lord and praise his name! Tell the good news every day about how he saves us!
³Tell all the nations how wonderful he is! Tell people everywhere about the amazing things he does.
⁴The Lord is great and worthy of praise. He is more awesome than any of the “gods.”
⁵All the “gods” in other nations are nothing but statues, but the Lord made the heavens.
⁶He lives in the presence of glory and honor. His Temple is a place of power and beauty.
⁷Praise the Lord, all people of every nation; praise the Lord’s glory and power.
⁸Give the Lord praise worthy of his glory! Come, bring your offerings into his courtyard.
⁹Worship the Lord in all his holy beauty. Everyone on earth should tremble before him.
¹⁰Tell the nations that the Lord is King! The world stands firm and cannot be moved. He will judge all people fairly.
¹¹Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be happy! Let the sea and everything in it shout for joy!
¹²Let the fields and everything in them be happy! Let the trees in the forest sing for joy
¹³when they see the Lord coming! He is coming to rule the world. He will rule all the nations of the world with justice and fairness.

¹The Lord rules, and the earth is happy. All the faraway lands are happy.
²Thick, dark clouds surround him. Goodness and justice make his kingdom strong.
³Fire goes before him and destroys his enemies.
⁴His lightning flashes in the sky. The earth sees it and trembles with fear.
⁵The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.
⁶The skies tell about his goodness, and the nations see his glory.
⁷People worship their idols. They brag about their “gods.” But they will be embarrassed. And all their “gods” will bow down before the Lord.
⁸Zion, listen and be happy! Cities of Judah, be glad! Rejoice because the Lord’s decisions are fair.
⁹Lord Most High, you really are the ruler of the earth. You are much better than the “gods.”
¹⁰Hate evil, you who love the Lord. He protects his followers and saves them from evil people.
¹¹Light and happiness shine on those who want to do right.
¹²Good people, be happy in the Lord! Praise his holy name!

¹Sing a new song to the Lord, because he has done amazing things! His powerful and holy right arm has brought him another victory.
²The Lord showed the nations his power to save. He showed them his goodness.
³He has kept his promise of love and loyalty to the people of Israel. People everywhere have seen our God’s power to save.
⁴Everyone on earth, shout with joy to the Lord. Start singing happy songs of praise!
⁵Praise the Lord with harps. Yes, praise him with music from the harps.
⁶Blow the pipes and horns, and shout for joy to the Lord our King!
⁷Let the sea and everything in it, the earth and all who live in it shout his praise!
⁸Rivers, clap your hands! All together now, mountains sing out!
⁹Sing before the Lord because he is coming to judge the world. He will rule the world fairly. He will rule the people with goodness.

¹The Lord is King, so let the nations shake with fear. He sits as King above the Cherub angels, so let the whole earth shake.
²The Lord in Zion is great! He is the great leader over all people.
³Let all the nations praise your name. Your name is great and awesome. Your name is holy.
⁴You are the powerful King who loves justice. You have made things right. You have brought goodness and fairness to Jacob.
⁵Praise the Lord our God, and bow down before his footstool, for he is holy.
⁶Moses and Aaron were some of his priests, and Samuel was one of the men who called on his name. They prayed to the Lord, and he answered them.
⁷God spoke from the tall cloud, and they obeyed his commands and the law he gave them.
⁸Lord our God, you answered their prayers. You showed them that you are a forgiving God and that you punish people for the evil they do.
⁹Praise the Lord our God. Bow down toward his holy mountain and worship him. The Lord our God is holy!

¹Earth, sing to the Lord!
²Be happy as you serve the Lord! Come before him with happy songs!
³Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him. We are his people, the sheep he takes care of.
⁴Come through the gates to his Temple giving thanks to him. Enter his courtyards with songs of praise. Honor him and bless his name.
⁵The Lord is good! There is no end to his faithful love. We can trust him forever and ever!

¹I will sing about love and justice. Lord, I will sing to you.
²I will be careful to live a pure life. I will live in my house with complete honesty. When will you come to me?
³I will not even look at anything shameful. I hate all wrongdoing. I want no part of it!
⁴I will not be involved in anything dishonest. I will have nothing to do with evil.
⁵I will stop anyone who secretly says bad things about a neighbor. I will not allow people to be proud and think they are better than others.
⁶I will look throughout the land for those who can be trusted. Only such people can live with me. Only those who live pure lives can be my servants.
⁷I will never let a dishonest person live in my house. I will not let liars stay near me.
⁸My goal each day will be to destroy the wicked living in our land. I will force all who do evil to leave the city of the Lord.

¹Lord, hear my prayer. Listen to my cry for help.
²Don’t turn away from me when I have troubles. Listen to me, and answer me quickly when I cry for help.
³My life is passing away like smoke. My life is like a fire slowly burning out.
⁴My strength is gone— I am like dry, dying grass. I even forget to eat.
⁵Because of my sadness, I am losing so much weight that my skin hangs from my bones.
⁶I am lonely, like an owl living in the desert, like an owl living among old ruined buildings.
⁷I cannot sleep. I am like a lonely bird on the roof.
⁸My enemies insult me all the time. They make fun of me and use me as an example in their curses.
⁹My great sadness is my only food. My tears fall into my drink.
¹⁰You were angry with me, so you picked me up and threw me away.
¹¹My life is almost finished, like the long shadows at the end of the day. I am like dry and dying grass.
¹²But you, Lord, will rule as king forever! Your name will continue forever and ever!
¹³You will rise up and comfort Zion. The time has come for you to be kind to Zion.
¹⁴Your servants love her stones. They love even the dust of that city!
¹⁵The nations will worship the Lord’s name. All the kings on earth will honor you.
¹⁶The Lord will rebuild Zion, and people will again see her glory.
¹⁷He will listen to the prayers of those in poverty. He will not ignore them.
¹⁸Write these things for future generations, so that they will praise the Lord.
¹⁹The Lord will look down from his Holy Place above. He will look down at the earth from heaven.
²⁰And he will hear the prisoner’s prayers. He will free those who were condemned to die.
²¹Then people in Zion will tell about the Lord. They will praise his name in Jerusalem
²²when nations gather together and kingdoms come to serve the Lord.
²³My strength failed me. My life is cut short.
²⁴So I said, “Don’t let me die while I am still young. God, you will live forever and ever!
²⁵Long ago, you made the world. You made the sky with your own hands!
²⁶The earth and sky will end, but you will live forever! They will wear out like clothes, and like clothes, you will change them.
²⁷But you never change. You will live forever!
²⁸We are your servants today. Our children will live here, and their descendants will come here to worship you.”

¹My soul, praise the Lord! Every part of me, praise his holy name!
²My soul, praise the Lord and never forget how kind he is!
³He forgives all our sins and heals all our sicknesses.
⁴He saves us from the grave, and he gives us love and compassion.
⁵He gives us plenty of good things. He makes us young again, like an eagle that grows new feathers.
⁶The Lord does what is fair. He brings justice to all who have been hurt by others.
⁷He taught his laws to Moses. He let Israel see the powerful things he can do.
⁸The Lord is kind and merciful. He is patient and full of love.
⁹He does not always criticize. He does not stay angry with us forever.
¹⁰We sinned against him, but he didn’t give us the punishment we deserved.
¹¹His love for his followers is as high above us as heaven is above the earth.
¹²And he has taken our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.
¹³The Lord is as kind to his followers as a father is to his children.
¹⁴He knows all about us. He knows we are made from dust.
¹⁵He knows our lives are short, that they are like grass. He knows we are like a little wildflower that grows so quickly,
¹⁶but when the hot wind blows, it dies. Soon, you cannot even see where the flower was.
¹⁷But the Lord has always loved his followers, and he will continue to love them forever and ever! He will be good to all their descendants,
¹⁸to those who are faithful to his agreement and who remember to obey his commands.
¹⁹The Lord set his throne up in heaven, and he rules over everything.
²⁰Angels, praise the Lord! You angels are the powerful soldiers who obey his commands. You listen to him and obey his commands.
²¹Praise the Lord, all his armies. You are his servants, and you do what he wants.
²²Everything the Lord has made should praise him throughout the world that he rules! My soul, praise the Lord!

¹My soul, praise the Lord! Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with glory and honor.
²You wear light like a robe. You spread out the skies like a curtain.
³You built your home above them. You use the thick clouds like a chariot and ride across the sky on the wings of the wind.
⁴You make the winds your messengers and flames of fire your servants.
⁵You built the earth on its foundations, so it can never be moved.
⁶You covered it with water like a blanket. The water covered even the mountains.
⁷But you gave the command, and the water turned back. You shouted at the water, and it rushed away.
⁸The water flowed down from the mountains into the valleys, to the places you made for it.
⁹You set the limits for the seas, and the water will never again rise to cover the earth.
¹⁰Lord, you cause water to flow from springs into the streams that flow down between the mountains.
¹¹The streams provide water for all the wild animals. Even the wild donkeys come there to drink.
¹²Wild birds come to live by the pools; they sing in the branches of nearby trees.
¹³You send rain down on the mountains. The earth gets everything it needs from what you have made.
¹⁴You make the grass grow to feed the animals. You provide plants for the crops we grow— the plants that give us food from the earth.
¹⁵You give us the wine that makes us happy, the oil that makes our skin soft, and the food that makes us strong.
¹⁶The great cedar trees of Lebanon belong to the Lord. He planted them and gives them the water they need.
¹⁷That’s where the birds make their nests, and the storks live in the fir trees.
¹⁸The high mountains are a home for wild goats. The large rocks are hiding places for rock badgers.
¹⁹Lord, you made the moon to show us when the festivals begin. And the sun always knows when to set.
²⁰You made darkness to be the night— the time when wild animals come out and roam around.
²¹Lions roar as they attack, as if they are asking God for the food he gives them.
²²When the sun rises, they leave and go back to their dens to rest.
²³Then people go out to do their work, and they work until evening.
²⁴Lord, you created so many things! With your wisdom you made them all. The earth is full of the living things you made.
²⁵Look at the ocean, so big and wide! It is filled with all kinds of sea life. There are creatures large and small—too many to count!
²⁶Ships sail over the ocean, and playing there is Leviathan, the great sea creature you made.
²⁷Lord, all living things depend on you. You give them food at the right time.
²⁸You give it, and they eat it. They are filled with good food from your open hands.
²⁹When you turn away from them, they become frightened. When you take away their breath, they die, and their bodies return to the dust.
³⁰But when you send out your life-giving breath, things come alive, and the world is like new again!
³¹May the Lord’s glory continue forever! May the Lord enjoy what he made.
³²He just looks at the earth, and it trembles. He just touches the mountains, and smoke rises from them.
³³I will sing to the Lord for the rest of my life. I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.
³⁴May my words be pleasing to him. The Lord is the one who makes me happy.
³⁵My soul, praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

¹Give thanks to the Lord and call out to him! Tell the nations what he has done!
²Sing to him; sing praises to him. Tell about the amazing things he has done.
³Be proud of his holy name. You followers of the Lord, be happy!
⁴Depend on the Lord for strength. Always go to him for help.
⁵Remember the amazing things he has done. Remember his miracles and his fair decisions.
⁶You belong to the family of his servant Abraham. You are descendants of Jacob, the people God chose.
⁷The Lord is our God. He rules the whole world.
⁸He will remember his agreement forever. He will always keep the promises he made to his people.
⁹He will keep the agreement he made with Abraham and the promise he made to Isaac.
¹⁰He gave it as a law to Jacob. He gave it to Israel as an agreement that will last forever!
¹¹He said, “I will give you the land of Canaan. It will be your very own.”
¹²At the time God said this, there were only a few of his people, and they were strangers there.
¹³They traveled around from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.
¹⁴But the Lord did not let anyone mistreat them. He warned kings not to harm them.
¹⁵He said, “Don’t hurt my chosen people. Don’t harm my prophets.”
¹⁶He caused a famine in that country, and people did not have enough food.
¹⁷But he sent a man named Joseph to go ahead of them. Joseph was sold like a slave.
¹⁸They tied a rope around his feet and put an iron ring around his neck.
¹⁹Joseph was a slave until what he said had really happened. The Lord’s message proved that Joseph was right.
²⁰So the king of Egypt set him free. That nation’s leader let him out of jail.
²¹He put Joseph in charge of his house. Joseph took care of everything the king owned.
²²Joseph gave instructions to the other leaders. He taught the older men.
²³Then Israel came to Egypt. Jacob lived there in Ham’s country.
²⁴Jacob’s family became very large and more powerful than their enemies.
²⁵So the Egyptians began to hate his people. They made plans against his servants.
²⁶So the Lord sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, his chosen priest.
²⁷He used Moses and Aaron to do many miracles in Ham’s country.
²⁸He sent darkness to cover their land, but the Egyptians did not listen to him.
²⁹So he changed the water into blood, and all their fish died.
³⁰Their country was filled with frogs, even in the king’s bedroom.
³¹The Lord gave the command, and the flies and gnats came. They were everywhere!
³²He made the rain become hail. Lightning struck throughout their land.
³³He destroyed their vines and fig trees. He destroyed every tree in their country.
³⁴He gave the command, and the locusts and grasshoppers came. There were too many to count!
³⁵They ate all the plants in the country, including all the crops in their fields.
³⁶Then the Lord killed every firstborn in their country. He killed their oldest sons.
³⁷He led his people out of Egypt. They were carrying gold and silver, and none of them stumbled or fell behind.
³⁸Egypt was happy to see his people go, because they were afraid of them.
³⁹The Lord spread out his cloud like a blanket. He used his column of fire to give his people light at night.
⁴⁰They asked for food, and he sent them quail. He also gave them plenty of bread from heaven.
⁴¹He split the rock, and water came bubbling out. A river began flowing in the desert!
⁴²The Lord remembered his holy promise that he had made to his servant Abraham.
⁴³He brought his people out of Egypt. They came out rejoicing and singing their happy songs!
⁴⁴Then he gave his people the lands of other nations. His people got what others had worked for.
⁴⁵He did this so that his people would obey his laws and follow his teachings. Praise the Lord!

¹Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord because he is good! His faithful love will last forever!
²No one can describe how great the Lord really is. No one can praise him enough.
³Those who obey his commands are happy. They do good things all the time.
⁴Lord, remember me when you show kindness to your people. Remember to save me too!
⁵Let me share in the good things that you do for your chosen people. Let me rejoice with your nation. Let me join with your people in praise.
⁶We sinned just as our ancestors did. We were wrong; we did bad things!
⁷Lord, our ancestors learned nothing from the miracles you did in Egypt. They forgot your kindness at the Red Sea and rebelled against you.
⁸But the Lord saved our ancestors for the honor of his name. He saved them to show his great power.
⁹He gave the command, and the Red Sea became dry. He led them through the deep sea on land as dry as the desert.
¹⁰He saved our ancestors and rescued them from their enemies.
¹¹He covered their enemies with the sea. Not one of them escaped!
¹²Then our ancestors believed what he had said. They sang praises to him.
¹³But they quickly forgot about what he did. They did not listen to his advice.
¹⁴They became hungry in the desert, and they tested him in the wilderness.
¹⁵He gave them what they asked for, but he also gave them a terrible disease.
¹⁶The people became jealous of Moses. They became jealous of Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest.
¹⁷The ground opened up and swallowed Dathan. Then the ground closed up and covered Abiram’s group.
¹⁸Then a fire burned that mob of people. It burned those wicked people.
¹⁹The people made a golden calf at Mount Horeb. They worshiped a statue!
²⁰They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull!
²¹They forgot all about God, the one who saved them, the one who did the miracles in Egypt.
²²He did amazing things there in Ham’s country ! He did awesome things at the Red Sea!
²³God wanted to destroy those people, but Moses, the leader he chose, stood in the way. God was very angry, but Moses begged him to stop, so God did not destroy the people.
²⁴But then they refused to go into the wonderful land of Canaan. They did not believe that God would help them defeat the people there.
²⁵Our ancestors complained in their tents and refused to obey the Lord.
²⁶So he swore that they would die in the desert.
²⁷He promised to scatter them among the nations and to let other people defeat their descendants.
²⁸At Baal Peor they joined in worshiping Baal and ate sacrifices to honor the dead.
²⁹The Lord became angry with his people, so he made them sick.
³⁰But Phinehas prayed to God, and God stopped the sickness.
³¹He considered what Phinehas did a good work, and it will be remembered forever and ever.
³²At Meribah the people made the Lord angry and created trouble for Moses.
³³They upset Moses, and he spoke without stopping to think.
³⁴The Lord told the people to destroy the other nations living in Canaan. But the Israelites did not obey him.
³⁵They mixed with the other people and did what those people were doing.
³⁶They began worshiping the false gods those people worshiped. And their idols became a trap.
³⁷They even offered their own children as sacrifices to demons.
³⁸They killed their innocent sons and daughters and offered them to the false gods of Canaan. So the land was polluted with the sin of murder.
³⁹They were unfaithful to him, and they became dirty with the sins of other nations.
⁴⁰So the Lord became angry with his people. He rejected those who belonged to him.
⁴¹He gave his people to other nations and let their enemies rule over them.
⁴²Their enemies controlled them and made life hard for them.
⁴³He saved his people many times, but they turned against him and did what they wanted to do. His people did many bad things.
⁴⁴But whenever they were in trouble, he listened to their prayers.
⁴⁵He always remembered his agreement, and because of his faithful love, he comforted them.
⁴⁶Other nations took them as prisoners, but the Lord caused them to be kind to his people.
⁴⁷Lord our God, save us! Bring us back together from those nations. Then we will give thanks to your holy name and joyfully praise you.
⁴⁸Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He always was and will always be worthy of praise. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord!

¹Praise the Lord, because he is good! His faithful love will last forever!
²Everyone the Lord has saved should repeat that word of thanks. Praise him, all who have been rescued from the enemy.
³He gathered his people together from many different countries. He brought them from east and west, north and south.
⁴Some of them wandered in the dry desert. They were looking for a place to live, but they could not find a city.
⁵They were hungry and thirsty and growing weak.
⁶Then they called to the Lord for help, and he saved them from their troubles.
⁷He led them straight to the city where they would live.
⁸Thank the Lord for his faithful love and for the amazing things he does for people.
⁹He satisfies those who are thirsty. He fills those who are hungry with good things.
¹⁰Some of God’s people were prisoners, locked behind bars in dark prisons.
¹¹That was because they had fought against what God said. They refused to listen to the advice of God Most High.
¹²God made life hard for those people because of what they did. They stumbled and fell, and there was no one to help them.
¹³They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help, and he saved them from their troubles.
¹⁴He took them out of their dark prisons. He broke the ropes that held them.
¹⁵Thank the Lord for his faithful love and for the amazing things he does for people.
¹⁶He breaks down their bronze gates. He shatters their iron bars.
¹⁷Some people became fools and turned against God, and they suffered for the evil they did.
¹⁸They became so sick that they refused to eat, so they almost died.
¹⁹They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help, and he saved them from their troubles.
²⁰He gave the command and healed them, so they were saved from the grave.
²¹Thank the Lord for his faithful love and for the amazing things he does for people.
²²Offer sacrifices of thanks to him. Sing with joy about all that he has done.
²³Some sailed the sea in ships. Their work carried them across the water.
²⁴They saw what the Lord can do. They saw the amazing things he did at sea.
²⁵He gave the command, and a strong wind began to blow. The waves became higher and higher.
²⁶The waves lifted them high into the sky and dropped them into the deep sea. The storm was so dangerous that the men lost their courage.
²⁷They were stumbling and falling like someone who is drunk. Their skill as sailors was useless.
²⁸They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help, and he saved them from their troubles.
²⁹He stopped the storm and calmed the waves.
³⁰The sailors were happy that the sea became calm, and he led them safely to where they wanted to go.
³¹Thank the Lord for his faithful love and for the amazing things he does for people.
³²Praise God in the great assembly. Praise him when the older leaders meet together.
³³He changed rivers into a desert. He stopped springs from flowing.
³⁴He made the fertile land become salty, because the people living there did such evil things.
³⁵He changed the desert into a land with pools of water. He caused springs to flow from dry ground.
³⁶He led the hungry to that good land, and they built a city to live in.
³⁷They planted seeds in their fields and grapes in their vineyards, and they had a good harvest.
³⁸God blessed them with many children and plenty of animals.
³⁹But because of disaster and troubles, their families became small and weak.
⁴⁰God shames even great leaders and makes them wander through empty deserts.
⁴¹But he rescues the poor from their misery. He makes their families large like flocks of sheep.
⁴²Good people see this and are happy. But the wicked see it and don’t know what to say.
⁴³Whoever is wise will remember these things and begin to understand the Lord’s faithful love.

¹God, I am ready, heart and soul, to sing songs of praise. Wake up, my soul!
²Harps and lyres, wake up, and let’s wake the dawn!
³Lord, I will praise you before all people. I will sing praises about you to every nation.
⁴Your faithful love is higher than the highest clouds in the sky!
⁵Rise above the heavens, God. Let all the world see your glory.
⁶Use your great power and help us! Answer my prayer and save the people you love.
⁷God has made this promise in his Temple : “I will win the war and rejoice in victory! I will divide this land among my people. I will give them Shechem. I will give them Succoth Valley.
⁸Gilead and Manasseh will be mine. Ephraim will be my helmet. Judah will be my royal scepter.
⁹Moab will be the bowl for washing my feet. Edom will be the slave who carries my sandals. I will defeat the Philistines and shout in victory!”
^10-11But, God, it seems that you have left us! You do not go out with our army. So who will lead me into the strong, protected city? Who will lead me into battle against Edom?
¹²Help us defeat the enemy! No one on earth can rescue us.
¹³Only God can make us strong. Only God can defeat our enemies!

¹God, I praise you! Hear my prayer and do something!
²Wicked people are telling lies about me. They are saying things that are not true.
³They are saying hateful things about me. They are attacking me for no reason.
⁴I loved them, but they were against me. So I said a prayer.
⁵I did good things to them, but they are doing bad things to me. I loved them, but they hated me.
⁶They said, “Choose someone evil to represent him. Let the one at his side really be his accuser.
⁷Let even his prayer be used as evidence against him, and let the court find him guilty.
⁸Let his life be cut short, and let someone else take over his work.
⁹Let his children become orphans and his wife a widow.
¹⁰Make his children wander around as beggars, forced from homes that lie in ruins.
¹¹Let the people he owes take everything he owns. Let strangers get everything he worked for.
¹²Let no one be kind to him. Let no one show mercy to his children.
¹³May his family come to an end. May his name be unknown to future generations.
¹⁴May the Lord remember the sins of his father, and may his mother’s sins never be erased.
¹⁵May the Lord remember their sins forever, and may he cause people to forget his family completely.
¹⁶He never did anything good. He never loved anyone. He made life hard for the poor and the helpless.
¹⁷He loved to curse others, so let those bad things happen to him. He never blessed others, so don’t let good things happen to him.
¹⁸Cursing was a daily part of his life, like the clothes he wears. Cursing others became a part of him, like the water he drinks and the oil he puts on his body.
¹⁹So let curses cover him like the robe he wears and always surround him like a belt.”
²⁰My enemies said these evil things against me. But may those curses be the way the Lord punishes them.
²¹My Lord God, treat me in a way that brings honor to your name. Save me because of your faithful love.
²²I am only a poor, helpless man. I am so sad; my heart is broken.
²³I feel my life is over, fading like a shadow at day’s end. I feel like a bug that someone brushed away.
²⁴My knees are weak from fasting. I have lost weight and become thin.
²⁵My enemies insult me. They look at me and shake their heads.
²⁶Lord my God, help me! Show your faithful love and save me!
²⁷Then they will know that you did it. They will know that it was your power, Lord, that helped me.
²⁸They curse me, but you can bless me. They attacked me, so defeat them. Then I, your servant, will be happy.
²⁹Humiliate my enemies! Let them wear their shame like a coat.
³⁰I give thanks to the Lord. I praise him in front of everyone.
³¹He stands by the helpless and saves them from those who try to put them to death.

¹The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right side, while I put your enemies under your control.”
²The Lord will cause your kingdom to grow, beginning at Zion, until you rule the lands of your enemies!
³Your people will gladly join you when you gather your army together. You will wear your special clothes and meet together early in the morning. Your young men will be all around you like dew on the ground.
⁴The Lord has made a promise with an oath and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever— the kind of priest Melchizedek was.”
⁵My Lord is at your right side. He will defeat the other kings when he becomes angry.
⁶He will judge the nations. The ground will be covered with dead bodies. He will punish the leaders of powerful nations all around the world.
⁷The king will drink from a stream on the way. Then he will lift his head and become strong!

¹Praise the Lord! I thank the Lord with all my heart in the assembly of his good people.
²The Lord does wonderful things, more than anyone could ask for.
³The things he does are great and glorious! There is no end to his goodness.
⁴He does amazing things so that we will remember that the Lord is kind and merciful.
⁵He gives food to his followers. He remembers his agreement forever.
⁶He has shown his people how powerful he is by giving them the land of other nations.
⁷Everything he does is good and fair. All his commands can be trusted.
⁸His commands will continue forever. They must be done with truth and honesty.
⁹He rescued his people and made his agreement with them forever. His name is awesome and holy.
¹⁰Wisdom begins with fear and respect for the Lord. Those who obey him are very wise. Praises will be sung to him forever.

¹Praise the Lord! Great blessings belong to those who fear and respect the Lord, who are happy to do what he commands.
²Their descendants will be given power on earth. Those who do right will be greatly blessed.
³Their family will be very rich, and their goodness will continue forever.
⁴A light shines in the dark for those who are good, for those who are merciful, kind, and fair.
⁵It is good for people to be kind and generous and to be fair in business.
⁶Such good people will never fall. They will always be remembered.
⁷They will not be afraid of bad news. They are confident because they trust in the Lord.
⁸They remain confident and without fear, so they defeat their enemies.
⁹They freely give to the poor. Their goodness will continue forever. They will be honored with victory.
¹⁰The wicked become angry when they see this. They grind their teeth in anger, but then they disappear. They will never get what they want most.

¹Praise the Lord! Servants of the Lord, praise him! Praise the Lord’s name.
²May the Lord’s name be praised now and forever.
³May the Lord’s name be praised from where the sun rises to where it goes down.
⁴The Lord is higher than all nations. His glory rises to the skies.
⁵There is no one like the Lord our God. He sits on his throne high in heaven.
⁶He is so high above us that he must look down to see the sky and the earth.
⁷He lifts the poor out of the dirt and rescues beggars from the garbage dump.
⁸He puts them in important positions, giving them a place among the leaders of his people.
⁹He gives children to the woman whose home is empty. He makes her a happy mother. Praise the Lord!

¹The people of Israel escaped from Egypt. Yes, Jacob’s descendants left that foreign country.
²Then Judah became God’s special people, and Israel became his kingdom.
³The Red Sea saw this and ran away. The Jordan River turned and ran.
⁴The mountains danced like rams. The hills danced like lambs.
⁵Red Sea, why did you run away? Jordan River, why did you turn and run away?
⁶Mountains, why did you dance like rams? Hills, why did you dance like lambs?
⁷The earth shook in front of the Lord, the God of Jacob.
⁸He is the one who caused water to flow from a rock. He made a spring of water flow from that hard rock.

¹Lord, you should receive the honor, not us. The honor belongs to you because of your faithful love and loyalty.
²Why should the nations wonder where our God is?
³Our God is in heaven, and he does whatever he wants.
⁴The “gods” of those nations are only statues that some human made from gold and silver.
⁵Those statues have mouths, but cannot talk. They have eyes, but cannot see.
⁶They have ears, but cannot hear. They have noses, but cannot smell.
⁷They have hands, but cannot feel. They have feet, but cannot walk. No sounds come from their throats.
⁸The people who make and trust in those statues will become like them!
⁹People of Israel, trust in the Lord! He is your strength and shield.
¹⁰Aaron’s family, trust in the Lord! He is your strength and shield.
¹¹Followers of the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is your strength and shield.
¹²The Lord remembers us. He will bless us. He will bless Israel. He will bless Aaron’s family.
¹³The Lord will bless his followers, great and small.
¹⁴May the Lord give more and more to you and to your children.
¹⁵May you receive blessings from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
¹⁶Heaven belongs to the Lord, but he gave the earth to people.
¹⁷The dead don’t praise him. Those in the grave don’t praise the Lord.
¹⁸But we will praise the Lord now and forever! Praise the Lord!

¹I love the Lord for hearing me, for listening to my prayers.
²Yes, he paid attention to me, so I will always call to him whenever I need help.
³Death’s ropes were around me. The grave was closing in on me. I was worried and afraid.
⁴Then I called on the Lord’s name. I said, “Lord, save me!”
⁵The Lord is good and merciful; our God is so kind.
⁶The Lord takes care of helpless people. I was without help, and he saved me.
⁷My soul, relax! The Lord is caring for you.
⁸Lord, you saved my soul from death. You stopped my tears. You kept me from falling.
⁹I will continue to serve the Lord in the land of the living.
¹⁰I continued believing even when I said, “I am completely ruined!”
¹¹Yes, even when I was upset and said, “There is no one I can trust!”
¹²What can I give the Lord for all that he has done for me?
¹³He saved me, so I will give him a drink offering, and I will call on the Lord’s name.
¹⁴I will give the Lord what I promised. I will go in front of all his people now.
¹⁵Very dear to the Lord are the lives of his followers. He cares when they face death.
¹⁶Lord, I am your servant! Yes, I am your slave, as my mother was. You set me free from the chains of death.
¹⁷I will give you a thank offering. I will call on the Lord’s name.
¹⁸I will stand before the gathering of his people and give the Lord what I promised.
¹⁹I will do this in Jerusalem, in the courtyards of the Lord’s Temple. Praise the Lord!

¹Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people.
²He loves us very much! The Lord will be faithful to us forever! Praise the Lord!

¹Praise the Lord because he is good! His faithful love will last forever!
²Israel, say it: “His faithful love will last forever!”
³Aaron’s family, say it: “His faithful love will last forever!”
⁴You people worshiping the Lord, say it: “His faithful love will last forever!”
⁵I was in trouble, so I called to the Lord for help. The Lord answered and made me free.
⁶The Lord is with me, so I will not be afraid. No one on earth can do anything to harm me.
⁷The Lord is my helper. I will see my enemies defeated.
⁸It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in people.
⁹It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in great leaders.
¹⁰Many enemies surrounded me, but with the Lord’s power I defeated them.
¹¹They surrounded me again and again, but I defeated them with the Lord’s power.
¹²They surrounded me like a swarm of bees, but they were quickly destroyed like a fast-burning bush. I defeated them with the Lord’s power.
¹³My enemy attacked me and almost destroyed me, but the Lord helped me.
¹⁴The Lord is my strength and my reason for singing. He saved me!
¹⁵You can hear the victory celebration in the homes of those who live right. The Lord has shown his great power again!
¹⁶The Lord’s arm is raised in victory. The Lord has shown his great power again.
¹⁷I will live and not die, and I will tell what the Lord has done.
¹⁸The Lord punished me, but he did not let me die.
¹⁹Gates of goodness, open for me, and I will come in and worship the Lord.
²⁰Those are the Lord’s gates, and only good people can go through them.
²¹Lord, I thank you for answering my prayer. I thank you for saving me.
²²The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone.
²³The Lord made this happen, and we think it is wonderful!
²⁴This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be happy today!
²⁵The people say, “Praise the Lord! The Lord saved us!
²⁶Welcome to the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” The priests answer, “We welcome you to the Lord’s house!
²⁷The Lord is God, and he accepts us. Tie up the lamb for the sacrifice and carry it to the horns of the altar.”
²⁸Lord, you are my God, and I thank you. My God, I praise you!
²⁹Praise the Lord because he is good. His faithful love will last forever.

¹Great blessings belong to those who live pure lives! They follow the Lord’s teachings.
²Great blessings belong to those who follow his rules! They seek him with all their heart.
³They don’t do wrong. They follow his ways.
⁴Lord, you gave us your instructions and told us to always obey them.
⁵How I wish I could be more faithful in obeying your laws!
⁶Then I would never feel ashamed when I look closely at your commands.
⁷The more I understand how fair your laws are, the more sincerely I will praise you.
⁸I will obey your laws, so please don’t leave me!

⁹How can a young person live a pure life? By obeying your word.
¹⁰I try with all my heart to serve you. Help me obey your commands.
¹¹I study your teachings very carefully so that I will not sin against you.
¹²Lord, you are worthy of praise! Teach me your laws.
¹³I will repeat the laws we have heard from you.
¹⁴I enjoy following your rules as much as others enjoy great riches.
¹⁵I will study your instructions. I will give thought to your way of life.
¹⁶I enjoy your laws. I will not forget your word.

¹⁷Be good to me, your servant, so that I may live to obey your word.
¹⁸Open my eyes so that I can see all the wonderful things in your teachings.
¹⁹I feel like a stranger visiting here on earth. I need to know your commands. Don’t keep them hidden from me.
²⁰I constantly feel a hunger to understand your laws.
²¹You tell the proud how angry you are with them. All those who refuse to obey your word are cursed.
²²Don’t let me be ashamed and embarrassed. I have obeyed your rules.
²³Even if rulers say bad things about me, I am your servant, and I continue to study your laws.
²⁴Your rules make me happy. They give me good advice.

²⁵I lie here like a dying man. Say the word, and I will live again.
²⁶I told you about my life, and you answered me. Now, teach me your laws.
²⁷Help me understand your instructions, and I will think about your wonderful teachings.
²⁸I am sad and tired. Say the word, and make me strong again.
²⁹Don’t let me live a lie. Guide me with your teachings.
³⁰I have chosen to be loyal to you. I respect your laws.
³¹I follow your rules closely, Lord. Don’t let me be put to shame.
³²I do my best to follow your commands, because you are the one who gives me the desire.

³³Lord, teach me your laws, and I will always follow them.
³⁴Help me understand your teachings, and I will follow them. Obeying them will be my greatest desire.
³⁵Help me follow your commands, because that makes me happy.
³⁶Give me the desire to follow your rules, not the desire to get rich.
³⁷Don’t let me look at worthless things. Help me live your way.
³⁸Do what you promised me, your servant, so that people will respect you.
³⁹Take away the shame I fear. Your laws are good.
⁴⁰See how much I want to obey your instructions! Be good to me, and let me live.

⁴¹Lord, show me your faithful love. Save me, as you promised.
⁴²Then I will have an answer for those who make fun of me for trusting what you say.
⁴³Let me always say what is true. I depend on your judgment to be fair.
⁴⁴I will follow your teachings forever and ever.
⁴⁵So I will live in freedom, because I do my best to know your instructions.
⁴⁶I will discuss your rules with kings, and no one will embarrass me.
⁴⁷What joy your commands give me! How I love them!
⁴⁸Not only do I love your commands, but I also honor them. I will study your laws.

⁴⁹Remember your promise to me, your servant. It gives me hope.
⁵⁰You comfort me in my suffering, because your promise gives me new life.
⁵¹People full of pride are always making fun of me, but I have not stopped following your teachings.
⁵²I remember the laws you gave us long ago, Lord, and they bring me comfort.
⁵³I am overcome with anger when I see wicked people, who have stopped following your teachings.
⁵⁴Your laws are the songs I sing wherever I am living.
⁵⁵Lord, in the night I remembered your name, and I obeyed your teachings.
⁵⁶This happened because I carefully obey your instructions.

⁵⁷Lord, I decided that my duty is to obey your commandments.
⁵⁸I beg you with all my heart, be kind to me, as you promised.
⁵⁹I thought very carefully about my life, and I decided to follow your rules.
⁶⁰Without wasting any time, I hurried back to obey your commands.
⁶¹The wicked tried to trap me, but I have not forgotten your teachings.
⁶²In the middle of the night, I get up to thank you because your laws are so fair.
⁶³I am a friend to everyone who worships you. I am a friend to everyone who obeys your instructions.
⁶⁴Lord, your faithful love fills the earth. Teach me your laws.

⁶⁵Lord, you did good things for me, your servant. You did what you promised to do.
⁶⁶Give me the knowledge to make wise decisions. I trust your commands.
⁶⁷Before I suffered, I did many wrong things. But now I carefully obey everything you say.
⁶⁸You are good, and you do good things. Teach me your laws.
⁶⁹People full of pride made up lies about me. But I keep obeying your instructions with all my heart.
⁷⁰Those people are so stupid that they care for nothing, but I enjoy studying your teachings.
⁷¹Suffering was good for me; I learned your laws.
⁷²Your teachings are worth more to me than a thousand pieces of silver and gold.

⁷³With your hands you made me and helped me become what I am. Now help me learn and understand your commands.
⁷⁴Your followers will see me and be happy, because I trust in your word.
⁷⁵Lord, I know that your decisions are fair, and you were right to punish me.
⁷⁶Now comfort me with your faithful love, as you promised.
⁷⁷Comfort me and let me live. I enjoy your teachings.
⁷⁸Bring shame on those proud people who lied about me. All I want to do is study your instructions.
⁷⁹Let your followers come back to me so that they may learn your rules.
⁸⁰Let me obey your laws perfectly so that I will not be ashamed.

⁸¹I feel weaker and weaker as I wait for you to save me. But I put my trust in your word.
⁸²I keep looking for what you promised, but my eyes are feeling tired. When will you comfort me?
⁸³Even when I am like a dried wineskin on the trash pile, I will not forget your laws.
⁸⁴How long must I wait for you to punish those who persecute me?
⁸⁵Proud people have tried to trap me and make me disobey your teachings.
⁸⁶All your commands can be trusted. Those people are wrong to persecute me. Help me!
⁸⁷They have almost destroyed me, but I have not stopped obeying your instructions.
⁸⁸Show me your faithful love and let me live. I will do whatever you say.

⁸⁹Lord, your word continues forever in heaven.
⁹⁰You are loyal forever and ever. You made the earth, and it still stands.
⁹¹All things continue today because of your laws. Like slaves, they all obey you.
⁹²If I had not found joy in your teachings, my suffering would have destroyed me.
⁹³I will never forget your commands, because through them you gave me new life.
⁹⁴I am yours, so save me! I have done my best to know your instructions.
⁹⁵The wicked tried to destroy me, but your rules made me wise.
⁹⁶Everything has its limits, except your commands.

⁹⁷Oh, how I love your teachings! I talk about them all the time.
⁹⁸Your commands are always with me, and they make me wiser than my enemies.
⁹⁹I am wiser than all my teachers, because I study your rules.
¹⁰⁰I understand more than those who are older, because I obey your instructions.
¹⁰¹I have avoided every path that leads to evil so that I could obey your word.
¹⁰²You are my teacher, so I will always do whatever you decide.
¹⁰³Your words are so sweet to me, like the taste of honey!
¹⁰⁴I gain understanding from your instructions, so I hate anything that leads people the wrong way.

¹⁰⁵Your word is like a lamp that guides my steps, a light that shows the path I should take.
¹⁰⁶Your laws are good and fair. I have promised to obey them, and I will keep my promise.
¹⁰⁷Lord, I have suffered for a long time. Say the word, and I will live again!
¹⁰⁸Lord, accept the praise I want to give you, and teach me your laws.
¹⁰⁹My life is always in danger, but I have not forgotten your teachings.
¹¹⁰The wicked try to trap me, but I have not disobeyed your instructions.
¹¹¹The rules you have given me to follow will be mine forever. They give me great joy.
¹¹²More than anything I want to obey your laws always, until the end of my life.

¹¹³Lord, I hate those who are not completely loyal to you, but I love your teachings.
¹¹⁴Hide me and protect me. I trust what you say.
¹¹⁵Don’t come near me, you who are evil, so that I can obey my God’s commands.
¹¹⁶Support me, Lord, as you promised, and I will live. I trust in you, so don’t disappoint me.
¹¹⁷Help me and I will be saved. And I will always give attention to your laws.
¹¹⁸You reject all who don’t obey your laws, because they are liars and did not do what they said.
¹¹⁹You throw away the wicked of this world like trash. So I love your rules.
¹²⁰I am shaking with fear before you. I fear and respect your judgments.

¹²¹I have done what is right and good. Don’t let me fall into the hands of those who want to hurt me.
¹²²Promise to be good to me, your servant. Don’t let those proud people do harm to me.
¹²³I have worn out my eyes looking for your help, waiting for you to save me, as you promised.
¹²⁴Show your faithful love to me, your servant. Teach me your laws.
¹²⁵I am your servant. Give me wisdom to understand your rules.
¹²⁶Lord, it is time for you to do something. The people do what is against your teachings.
¹²⁷I love your commands more than gold, more than the purest gold.
¹²⁸I carefully obey all your commands. So I hate anything that leads people the wrong way.

¹²⁹Lord, your rules are wonderful. That is why I follow them.
¹³⁰As people understand your word, it brings light to their lives. Your word makes even simple people wise.
¹³¹My desire to hear your commands is so strong that I wait with open mouth, gasping for breath.
¹³²Look at me, and be kind to me, just as you always are to those who love your name.
¹³³Guide me, as you promised. Don’t let evil rule over me.
¹³⁴Save me from those who want to hurt me, and I will obey your instructions.
¹³⁵Accept your servant, and teach me your laws.
¹³⁶I have cried a river of tears because people don’t obey your teachings.

¹³⁷Lord, you do what is right, and your decisions are fair.
¹³⁸The rules you have given us are right. We can trust them completely.
¹³⁹Something that really upsets me is the thought that my enemies ignore your commands.
¹⁴⁰I love your word. Time and again it has been proven true.
¹⁴¹I am young, and people don’t respect me. But I have not forgotten your instructions.
¹⁴²Your goodness is forever, and your teachings can be trusted.
¹⁴³Even though I have troubles and hard times, your commands give me joy.
¹⁴⁴Your rules are always right. Help me understand them so that I can live.

¹⁴⁵Lord, I call to you with all my heart. Answer me, and I will obey your laws.
¹⁴⁶I call to you. Save me, and I will obey your rules.
¹⁴⁷I get up early in the morning to pray to you. I trust what you say.
¹⁴⁸Late into the night I stay awake to think about your word.
¹⁴⁹I know your love is true, so listen to me. Lord, you always do what is right, so let me live.
¹⁵⁰Here come those who have evil plans to hurt me. They live far away from your teachings.
¹⁵¹But you are near me, Lord, and all your commands can be trusted.
¹⁵²Long ago, I learned from your rules that you made them to last forever.

¹⁵³Look at my suffering and rescue me. I have not forgotten your teachings.
¹⁵⁴Argue my case, and set me free. Let me live, as you promised.
¹⁵⁵The wicked have no hope of being saved, because they don’t follow your laws.
¹⁵⁶Lord, you are very kind. You always do what is right, so let me live.
¹⁵⁷I have many enemies trying to hurt me, but I have not stopped following your rules.
¹⁵⁸I look at those traitors and hate what I see, because they refuse to do what you say.
¹⁵⁹See how much I love your instructions! Lord, I know your love is true, so let me live.
¹⁶⁰Every word you say can be trusted. Your laws are fair and will last forever.

¹⁶¹Powerful leaders attack me for no reason, but the only thing I fear is your command.
¹⁶²Your word makes me happy, like someone who has found a great treasure.
¹⁶³I hate lies; they make me sick! But I love your teachings.
¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise you because your laws are fair.
¹⁶⁵Those who love your teachings will find true peace. Nothing can make them fall.
¹⁶⁶Lord, I am waiting for you to save me. I obey your commands.
¹⁶⁷I follow your rules. I love them very much.
¹⁶⁸I obey all your instructions and rules, because you know everything I do.

¹⁶⁹Lord, listen to my cry for help. Make me wise, as you promised.
¹⁷⁰Listen to my prayer. Save me, as you promised.
¹⁷¹I will burst into songs of praise, because you have taught me your laws.
¹⁷²Let my voice sing about your word, because all your commands are good.
¹⁷³I have chosen to follow your instructions, so reach out and help me!
¹⁷⁴Lord, I want you to save me. Your teachings make me happy.
¹⁷⁵Let me live to praise you. Let me find the help I need in your laws.
¹⁷⁶I have wandered away like a lost sheep. Come and find me. I am your servant, and I have not forgotten your commands.

¹I was in trouble. I called to the Lord for help, and he answered me!
²I said, “Lord, save me from liars, from those who say things that are not true.”
³Liars, do you know what the Lord has for you? Do you know what you will get?
⁴You will get a soldier’s sharp arrow and hot coals to punish you.
⁵How I hate living here among these people! It’s like living in Meshech or in the tents of Kedar.
⁶I have lived too long with those who hate peace.
⁷I ask for peace, but they want war.

¹I look up to the hills, but where will my help really come from?
²My help will come from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth.
³He will not let you fall. Your Protector will not fall asleep.
⁴Israel’s Protector does not get tired. He never sleeps.
⁵The Lord is your Protector. The Lord stands by your side, shading and protecting you.
⁶The sun cannot harm you during the day, and the moon cannot harm you at night.
⁷The Lord will protect you from every danger. He will protect your soul.
⁸The Lord will protect you as you come and go, both now and forever!

¹I was happy when the people said, “Let us go to the Lord’s Temple.”
²Here we are, standing at the gates of Jerusalem.
³This is New Jerusalem! The city has been rebuilt as one united city.
⁴This is where the tribes come, the tribes who belong to the Lord. The people of Israel come here to praise the Lord’s name.
⁵The kings from David’s family put their thrones here. They set up their thrones to judge the people.
⁶Pray for peace in Jerusalem: “May those who love you find peace.
⁷May there be peace within your walls. May there be safety in your great buildings.”
⁸For the good of my family and neighbors, I pray that there will be peace here.
⁹For the good of the Temple of the Lord our God, I pray that good things will happen to this city.

¹Lord, I look up and pray to you. You sit as King in heaven.
²A slave looks to his master to provide what he needs, and a servant girl depends on the woman she serves. So we depend on the Lord our God, waiting for him to have mercy on us.
³Lord, be merciful to us, because we have been insulted much too long.
⁴We have had enough of the hateful words of those proud people who make fun of us and show us no respect.

¹What would have happened to us if the Lord had not been on our side? Tell us about it, Israel.
²What would have happened to us if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us?
³They would have swallowed us alive when they became angry with us.
⁴Their armies would have been like a flood washing over us, like a river drowning us.
⁵Those proud people would have been like water rising up to our mouth and drowning us.
⁶Praise the Lord! He did not let our enemies tear us apart.
⁷We escaped like a bird from the net of a hunter. The net broke, and we escaped!
⁸Our help came from the Lord, the one who made heaven and earth!

¹Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion. They will never be shaken. They will continue forever.
²Like the mountains that surround Jerusalem, the Lord surrounds and protects his people now and forever.
³The wicked will not always control the land of those who do right. If they did, even those who do right might start doing wrong.
⁴Lord, be good to those who are good, to those who have pure hearts.
⁵But, Lord, when you punish those who do evil, also punish those who have stopped following your way. Let Israel always enjoy peace!

¹It will be like a dream when the Lord comes back with the captives of Zion.
²We will laugh and sing happy songs! Then the other nations will say, “The Lord did a great thing for Zion!”
³Yes, we will be happy because the Lord did a great thing for us.
⁴So, Lord, bring back the good times, like a desert stream filled again with flowing water.
⁵Then those who were sad when they planted will be happy when they gather the harvest!
⁶Those who cried as they carried the seeds will be happy when they bring in the crops!

¹If it is not the Lord who builds a house, the builders are wasting their time. If it is not the Lord who watches over the city, the guards are wasting their time.
²It is a waste of time to get up early and stay up late, trying to make a living. The Lord provides for those he loves, even while they are sleeping.
³Children are a gift from the Lord, a reward from a mother’s womb.
⁴A young man’s sons are like the arrows in a soldier’s hand.
⁵The man who fills his quiver with sons will be very blessed. He will never be defeated when he opposes his enemy at the city gates.

¹Great blessings belong to those who fear and respect the Lord and live the way he wants.
²You will get what you work for. You will enjoy the Lord’s blessings, and all will go well for you.
³At home, your wife will have many children, like a vine full of grapes. The children around your table will be like an orchard full of olive trees.
⁴Yes, the Lord will really bless those who respect him.
⁵May the Lord bless you from Mount Zion. May you enjoy the blessings of Jerusalem all your life.
⁶And may you live to see your grandchildren. Let Israel always enjoy peace!

¹All my life enemies have attacked me. Say it again, Israel.
²All my life enemies have attacked me, but they have never defeated me.
³They beat me until I had deep cuts. My back looked like a freshly plowed field.
⁴But the Lord does what is right; he cut the ropes and set me free from those wicked people.
⁵May those who hate Zion be put to shame. May they be stopped and chased away.
⁶They will be like grass on a flat roof that dies before it has time to grow.
⁷The one who goes to harvest it will not find enough to cut and stack.
⁸May no one walking by those wicked people ever say, “May the Lord bless you! We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

¹Lord, I am in deep trouble, so I am calling to you for help.
²My Lord, listen to me. Listen to my cry for help.
³Lord, if you punished people for all their sins, no one would be left alive.
⁴But you forgive people, so they fear and respect you.
⁵I am waiting for the Lord to help me. My soul waits for him. I trust what he says.
⁶I am waiting for my Lord, like a guard waiting and waiting for the morning to come.
⁷Israel, trust in the Lord. The Lord is the one who is faithful and true. He saves us again and again,
⁸and he is the one who will save the people of Israel from all their sins.

¹Lord, I don’t feel proud. I don’t see myself as better than others. I am not thinking about doing great things or reaching impossible goals.
²No, right now I am calm and quiet, like a child after nursing, content in its mother’s arms.
³Israel, trust in the Lord. Trust in him now and forever!

¹Lord, remember how David suffered.
²He made a promise to you, Lord, an oath to the Mighty God of Jacob.
³He said, “I will not go into my house or lie down on my bed.
⁴I will not sleep or let my eyes rest,
⁵until I find a home for the Lord, a tent for the Mighty God of Jacob!”
⁶We heard about this in Ephrathah. We found the Box of the Agreement at Kiriath Jearim.
⁷Now, let’s go to the Lord’s house. Let’s worship at his throne.
⁸Lord, get up and go to your resting place; go with the Box that shows your power.
⁹May your priests be clothed in victory and your loyal followers be filled with joy.
¹⁰For the sake of your servant David, don’t reject your chosen king.
¹¹The Lord made a promise to David, an oath of loyalty to him: “I will always put one of your descendants on your throne.
¹²If your descendants obey my agreement and the laws I teach them, then the king will always be someone from your family.”
¹³The Lord has chosen Zion to be the place for his Temple, the place he wanted for his home.
¹⁴He said, “This will always be my place of rest. This is where I want to sit on my throne.
¹⁵I will bless this city with plenty of food. Even the poor will have enough to eat.
¹⁶I will clothe the priests with salvation, and my followers will be filled with joy.
¹⁷This is where I will make David’s family strong. I will never let the lamp of my chosen king stop burning.
¹⁸I will cover his enemies with shame, and on his head will be a shining crown.”

¹Oh, how wonderful, how pleasing it is when God’s people all come together as one !
²It is like the sweet-smelling oil that is poured over the high priest’s head, that runs down his beard flowing over his robes.
³It is like a gentle rain from Mount Hermon falling on Mount Zion. It is there that the Lord has promised his blessing of eternal life.

¹Praise the Lord, all his servants who serve in the Temple at night.
²Lift your hands toward the Temple, and praise the Lord.
³May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.

¹Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord! Praise him, you servants of the Lord,
²you who serve in the Lord’s Temple, in the courtyard of the Temple of our God.
³Praise the Lord, because he is good. Praise his name, because it brings such joy!
⁴The Lord chose Jacob to be his own. Yes, he chose Israel to be his own people.
⁵I know the Lord is great! Our Lord is greater than all the gods!
⁶The Lord does whatever he wants, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and the deep oceans.
⁷He brings the clouds from the other side of the earth. He sends the lightning and the rain, and he opens the doors to release the winds.
⁸He destroyed the firstborn males of the people in Egypt and their animals.
⁹He did great wonders and miracles in Egypt. He used them against Pharaoh and his officials.
¹⁰He defeated many nations and killed powerful kings.
¹¹He defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms in Canaan.
¹²Then he gave their land to Israel, his people.
¹³Lord, your name will be famous forever! Lord, people will remember you forever and ever.
¹⁴The Lord defends his people; he is kind to his servants.
¹⁵The gods of other nations are only gold and silver idols that people have made.
¹⁶They have mouths, but cannot speak. They have eyes, but cannot see.
¹⁷They have ears, but cannot hear. They have mouths, but no breath.
¹⁸Those who make idols and trust in them will become just like the idols they have made.
¹⁹Family of Israel, praise the Lord! Aaron’s family, praise the Lord!
²⁰Levi’s family, praise the Lord! All you who worship the Lord, praise the Lord!
²¹The Lord should be praised from Zion, from Jerusalem, his home. Praise the Lord!

¹Praise the Lord because he is good. His faithful love will last forever.
²Praise the God of gods! His faithful love will last forever.
³Praise the Lord of lords! His faithful love will last forever.
⁴Praise him who alone does wonderful miracles! His faithful love will last forever.
⁵Praise the one who used wisdom to make the skies! His faithful love will last forever.
⁶He spread the land over the sea. His faithful love will last forever.
⁷He made the great lights. His faithful love will last forever.
⁸He made the sun to rule the day. His faithful love will last forever.
⁹He made the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love will last forever.
¹⁰He killed the firstborn males in Egypt, both men and animals. His faithful love will last forever.
¹¹He took Israel out of Egypt. His faithful love will last forever.
¹²He used his powerful arms and strong hands. His faithful love will last forever.
¹³He split the Red Sea into two parts. His faithful love will last forever.
¹⁴He led Israel through the sea. His faithful love will last forever.
¹⁵He drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. His faithful love will last forever.
¹⁶He led his people through the desert. His faithful love will last forever.
¹⁷He defeated powerful kings. His faithful love will last forever.
¹⁸He defeated strong kings. His faithful love will last forever.
¹⁹He defeated Sihon king of the Amorites. His faithful love will last forever.
²⁰He defeated Og king of Bashan. His faithful love will last forever.
²¹He gave their land to Israel. His faithful love will last forever.
²²He gave it as a gift to Israel, his servant. His faithful love will last forever.
²³He remembered us when we were defeated. His faithful love will last forever.
²⁴He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love will last forever.
²⁵He provides food for all living things. His faithful love will last forever.
²⁶Praise the God of heaven! His faithful love will last forever.

¹We sat by the rivers in Babylon and cried as we remembered Zion.
²We hung our harps nearby, there on the willow trees.
³There in Babylon, those who captured us told us to sing. Our enemies told us to entertain them. They said, “Sing us one of your songs about Zion.”
⁴But we cannot sing the Lord’s songs in a foreign country!
⁵Jerusalem, if I ever forget you, may I never play a song again.
⁶If I fail to remember you, may I never sing again. I will always remember Jerusalem as my greatest joy!
⁷Lord, be sure to punish the Edomites for what they did when Jerusalem was captured. They shouted, “Destroy its buildings! Pull them down to the ground!”
⁸Babylon, you will be destroyed! Bless the one who pays you back for what you did to us.
⁹Bless the one who grabs your babies and smashes them against a rock.

¹Lord, I praise you with all my heart. I sing songs of praise to you before the gods.
²I bow down toward your holy Temple, and I praise your name for your love and loyalty. You are famous, and doing what you promised will make you even more famous!
³When I called to you for help, you answered me and gave me strength.
⁴Lord, all the kings on earth will praise you when they hear what you say.
⁵They will sing about what the Lord has done, because the glory of the Lord is very great.
⁶The Lord has the highest place above all others, but he still cares for the humble. Even from there, so high above, he knows what the proud do.
⁷If I am in trouble, you keep me alive. If my enemies are angry, you save me from them.
⁸Lord, I know you will do what you have promised. Lord, your faithful love will last forever. You are the one who made us, so don’t leave us!

¹Lord, you have tested me, so you know all about me.
²You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts from far away.
³You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do.
⁴Lord, you know what I want to say, even before the words leave my mouth.
⁵You are all around me—in front of me and behind me. I feel your hand on my shoulder.
⁶I am amazed at what you know; it is too much for me to understand.
⁷Your Spirit is everywhere I go. I cannot escape your presence.
⁸If I go up to heaven, you will be there. If I go down to the place of death, you will be there.
⁹If I go east where the sun rises or go to live in the west beyond the sea,
¹⁰even there you will take my hand and lead me. Your strong right hand will protect me.
¹¹Suppose I wanted to hide from you and said, “Surely the darkness will hide me. The day will change to night and cover me.”
¹²Even the darkness is not dark to you. The night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same.
¹³You formed the way I think and feel. You put me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴I praise you because you made me in such a wonderful way. I know how amazing that was!
¹⁵You could see my bones grow as my body took shape, hidden in my mother’s womb.
¹⁶You could see my body grow each passing day. You listed all my parts, and not one of them was missing.
¹⁷Your thoughts are beyond my understanding. They cannot be measured!
¹⁸If I could count them, they would be more than all the grains of sand. But when I finished, I would have just begun.
¹⁹You murderers, get away from me! God, kill those wicked people—
²⁰those who say bad things about you. Your enemies use your name falsely.
²¹Lord, I hate those who hate you. I hate those who are against you.
²²I hate them completely! Your enemies are also my enemies.
²³God, examine me and know my mind. Test me and know all my worries.
²⁴Make sure that I am not going the wrong way. Lead me on the path that has always been right.

¹Lord, save me from people who are evil. Protect me from those who are cruel,
²from those who plan to do evil and always cause trouble.
³Their words are as harmful as the fangs of a snake, as deadly as its venom. Selah
⁴Lord, save me from the wicked! Protect me from these cruel people who plan to hurt me.
⁵These proud people are trying to trap me. They spread nets to catch me; they set traps in my path. Selah
⁶Lord, you are my God. Lord, listen to my prayer.
⁷My Lord God, you are the powerful one who saves me. You protect my head in battle.
⁸Lord, don’t let the wicked have what they want. Don’t let their plans succeed. Selah
⁹My enemies are planning trouble for me. Lord, make that trouble fall on them.
¹⁰Pour burning coals on their heads. Throw them into the fire. Throw them into pits they can never escape.
¹¹Don’t let those cruel liars enjoy success here. Let disaster hunt them down.
¹²I know the Lord will provide justice for the poor and will defend the helpless.
¹³Those who do what is right will praise your name; those who are honest will live in your presence.

¹Lord, I call to you for help. Listen to me as I pray. Please hurry and help me!
²Accept my prayer like a gift of burning incense, the words I lift up like an evening sacrifice.
³Lord, help me control what I say. Don’t let me say anything bad.
⁴Take away any desire to do evil. Keep me from joining the wicked in doing wrong. Help me stay away from their feasts.
⁵If good people correct me, I will consider it a good thing. If they criticize me, I will accept it like a warm welcome. But my prayer will always be against the wicked and the evil they do.
⁶Let their judges be put to death. Then everyone will know that I told the truth.
⁷Like rocks in a field that a farmer has plowed, so our bones will be scattered in the grave.
⁸My Lord God, I look to you for help. I look to you for protection; don’t let me die.
⁹Those evil people are trying to trap me. Don’t let me fall into their traps.
¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own traps, while I walk away unharmed.

¹I cry out to the Lord. I beg the Lord to help me.
²I tell him my problems; I tell him about my troubles.
³I am ready to give up. But you, Lord, know the path I am on, and you know that my enemies have set a trap for me.
⁴I look around, and I don’t see anyone I know. I have no place to run. There is no one to save me.
⁵Lord, I cry out to you for help: “You are my place of safety. You are all I need in life.”
⁶Listen to my prayer. I am so weak. Save me from those who are chasing me. They are stronger than I am.
⁷Help me escape this trap, so that I can praise your name. Then good people will celebrate with me, because you took care of me.

¹Lord, hear my prayer. Listen to my call for help and answer my prayer. Show me how good and loyal you are.
²Don’t judge me, your servant. No one alive could be judged innocent by your standards.
³My enemies are chasing me. They have crushed me into the dirt. They are pushing me into the dark grave, like people who died long ago.
⁴I am ready to give up. I am losing my courage.
⁵But I remember what happened long ago. I am thinking about all you have done. I am talking about what you made with your hands!
⁶I lift my hands in prayer to you. I am waiting for your help, like a dry land waiting for rain. Selah
⁷Hurry and answer me, Lord! I have lost my courage. Don’t turn away from me. Don’t let me die and become like the people lying in the grave.
⁸Show me your faithful love this morning. I trust in you. Show me what I should do. I put my life in your hands!
⁹Lord, I come to you for protection. Save me from my enemies.
¹⁰Show me what you want me to do. You are my God. Let your good Spirit lead me over level ground.
¹¹Lord, let me live so that people will praise your name. Show me how good you are and save me from my trouble.
¹²Show me your love and defeat my enemies. Destroy those who are trying to kill me because I am your servant.

¹Praise the Lord! He is my Rock. He prepares me for war. He trains me for battle.
²He loves me and protects me. He is my safe place high on the mountain. He rescues me. He is my shield. I trust in him. He helps me rule my people.
³Lord, why are people important to you? Why do you even notice us?
⁴Our life is like a puff of air. It is like a passing shadow.
⁵Lord, tear open the skies and come down. Touch the mountains, and smoke will rise from them.
⁶Send the lightning and make my enemies run away. Shoot your “arrows” and make them run away.
⁷Reach down from heaven and save me! Don’t let me drown in this sea of enemies. Save me from these foreigners.
⁸They are all liars, even when they swear to tell the truth.
⁹God, I will sing a new song for you. I will play a ten-stringed harp and sing praise to you.
¹⁰You are the one who gives victory to kings. You saved your servant David from the sword of his enemy.
¹¹Save me from these foreigners. They are all liars, even when they swear to tell the truth.
¹²May our sons be as strong as trees and our daughters as beautiful as the carved columns of a palace.
¹³May our barns be filled with crops of all kinds. May our sheep produce so many lambs, that thousands of sheep will fill our fields.
¹⁴And may our cows be heavy with calves. May no enemy break through our walls or carry away any of our people. May there be no cries of pain in our streets.
¹⁵How wonderful to have such blessings! Yes, great blessings belong to those who have the Lord as their God.